請更新您的瀏覽器

您使用的瀏覽器版本較舊,已不再受支援。建議您更新瀏覽器版本,以獲得最佳使用體驗。

Eng

Tokyo 2020: Hurdler Vera Lui has Olympics qualification in her grasp

South China Morning Post

發布於 2020年01月20日07:01 • Chan Kin-wa kinwa.chan@scmp.com
  • Lui wins first race after winter training camp with personal best in 60 metre hurdles
  • She qualifies for February’s Asian Indoor Championships where she aims to improve her world ranking
Vera Lui wins the first race of the season to qualify for next month’s Asian Indoor Championships in the women’s 60m hurdles. Leung Ching-yi (yellow) finishes second, while Shing Cho-yan comes third at Wan Chai Sports Ground. Photo: Dickson Lee
Vera Lui wins the first race of the season to qualify for next month’s Asian Indoor Championships in the women’s 60m hurdles. Leung Ching-yi (yellow) finishes second, while Shing Cho-yan comes third at Wan Chai Sports Ground. Photo: Dickson Lee

Hurdler Vera Lui Lai-yiu began the new year campaign with a bang, setting a personal best in the women's 60 metre hurdles on Sunday and putting Tokyo Olympics qualification firmly in her sights.

Hong Kong's top hurdler won the event in 8.32 seconds at the 2020 Hong Kong Athletics Preseason Trial 1 at Wan Chai Sports Ground, booking a berth at next month's Asian Indoor Championships in Hangzhou, China, in February.

"I felt great after the winter training camp and I am happy to set a personal best at the beginning of the year," she said. "My previous best was 8.41 seconds when I won the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Art Games in Turkmenistan.

"I have set two major targets for the year: winning a berth to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and breaking the long-standing Hong Kong record in the 100 metre hurdles."

Vera Lui celebrates becoming the only women's track and field medal winner for Hong Kong at the Asian Games, taking bronze in the 100m hurdles at the 2018 Jakarta Games. Photo: Xinhua
Vera Lui celebrates becoming the only women's track and field medal winner for Hong Kong at the Asian Games, taking bronze in the 100m hurdles at the 2018 Jakarta Games. Photo: Xinhua

So far, only 21 women have run inside the Tokyo Games' 100 metre hurdles qualification standard of 12.84 seconds, about half of the quota of 40 available.

The remaining places will be determined through the world ranking system if no more athletes make the standard.

Vera Lui easily wins her first race of the season with sights firmly set on an 2020 Olympic berth pic.twitter.com/fRHxXQU8c4

" Kin-wa Chan (@Kinwachan1024) January 19, 2020

With a maximum of three athletes from one nation allowed for the Olympic Games, Lui, with a 53rd world ranking, is keen to pursue her dream with an improved standing.

The Asian Indoor Championships will serve as a chance for Lui to better the ranking (60m hurdles also counts towards the 100m hurdles ranking) if she can reach her target of 8.2 seconds.

"With the approach of the Olympics, more top regional runners will be in Hangzhou which can push me harder," said Lui. "Japan's new record holder (100m hurdles) with a time of 12.97 seconds is expected to be there with other top Asian hurdlers. We'll see."

Vera Lui is one of Hong Kong's track and field stars. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Vera Lui is one of Hong Kong's track and field stars. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Lui came close to the 100-metre Hong Kong record of 13.14 seconds set by Chan Sau-ying in the United States in 1994 when she finished the Asian Grand Prix series in Chongqing last year in 13.18, but the result was not recognised because of a following wind speed of 2.4 metres/second.

I can finally break the Hong Kong record, says hurdler Vera Lui

"It was just slightly over the allowed 2.0m/s but I consider it just a matter of time until I break it, provided I can take part in more quality competitions," she said. "I am working with my coach and the association to identify more overseas events."

Lam On-ki qualifies for the Asian Indoor Championships after winning the women's 60m dash in the preseason trial at Wan Chai Sports Ground. Photo: Chan Kin-wa
Lam On-ki qualifies for the Asian Indoor Championships after winning the women's 60m dash in the preseason trial at Wan Chai Sports Ground. Photo: Chan Kin-wa

Simon Yeung Sai-mo, senior vice-chairman of Hong Kong Amateur Athletic Association, promised full financial backing for Lui's bid to qualify for the Olympics.

"We are not talking about supporting a whole bunch of some 20 or more athletes. There are only a very limited number of athletes that have the quality to qualify and we will give these potential athletes full support to help them achieve the target," said the official.

"Lui is among them, while Christy Yiu in the women's marathon and Ching Siu-nga in the women's 20km race walk are also in a strong position to book an Olympic ticket."

Copyright (c) 2020. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

0 0
reaction icon 0
reaction icon 0
reaction icon 0
reaction icon 0
reaction icon 0
reaction icon 0