AFTER DECENT WORLD CUP, HONG KONG TRIATHLON HEAD COACH ANDREW WRIGHT EXPECTS MEDALS FROM HIS SQUAD AT 2025 NATIONAL GAMES

Wright says several of his team had 'very good' races at the recent World Cup, which he says was one of the best
He is confident that Hong Kong's depth means that with a full team that is fit, 'we will have a very good medal hope' next year

Hong Kong head coach Andrew Wright is backing his squad to bring home a medal or two at next year's National Games, after watching his charges hold their own at the city's World Triathlon Cup race.

Two-time Asian Games medallist Bailee Brown finished 40th among a field of elite athletes despite a "substandard" swim, while Robin Elg starred in Sunday's first-ever World Cup in town, coming home 23rd in the men's event to become the city's top performer.

Wright was convinced Elg's position would be have been better had the World Cup debutant not been carrying a shin injury.

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"Mark [Yu Shing-him] and Nicholas [Tsang Cheung-shing] had very good races, too," he said. "So, in terms of the future of Hong Kong, it's going to come together at some point where all of our team is fit and healthy.

"We will have a very strong team and we're aiming to do that. If we have our full team, fit, men and women, we will have a very good medal hope for the National Games next year."

Yu and Tsang finished with respectable positions in 29th and 38th, respectively, both less than three minutes adrift of race winner Alberto Gonzalez Garcia of Spain.

"We're getting to the stage now in Hong Kong where we have quite good depth and the sport is really improving in all aspects," Wright added. "The days are gone where we are just sending athletes for the sake of filling places.

"We are sending athletes to go there to compete for top positions, whereas in the past we just used to be like, let's just send our whole team."

Wright also said having 70 athletes in the squad meant the team could be "more selective" while the change of status "puts pressure" on the athletes to do everything right in training.

"They know it's not a given any more [to go to any events], now that triathlon is becoming like other sports - more competitive in that sense."

The city's first World Triathlon Cup at the Central Harbourfront on Sunday attracted more than 120 athletes worldwide and Wright is convinced the inaugural event will "evolutionise" the sport even more.

"We had to organise this race so last minute, so I think they did an awesome job," he said.

"For a World Cup, if you talk to any overseas athletes, this is the best ... they've ever been to, in terms of organisation and venue. Most other World Cups are not like this."

Next up for the Hong Kong team will be the Asian Sprint Championships in Dexing, China, on April 7. That will be followed by another continental championship at the Olympic distance, in Hatsukaichi, Japan, on April 21.

Hong Kong can send up to six men and six women athletes to the events, with Brown, Elg and Olympics hopeful Jason Ng Tai-long guaranteed a spot because of their past results.