Chan rallies to seal gold at Asian Championships
Hong Kong rower Chan Chi-fung, who holds several indoor records in the sport, sealed a gold medal on the water at the Asian Championships in Thailand yesterday.
The lightweight, who competes in the men’s single sculls, began his mission on Wednesday after placing fourth in his heat and then first in a must-win repechage event that sent him through to the finals.
Facing opponents from a much heavier weight category, the 24-year-old rallied from behind at the 1,500m mark to take the lead and hold on to snatch gold.
Asian Games bronze medallist and hometown favourite Prem Nampratueng was second and Mahmoodpour Shahrestani Amirhossein of Iran with bronze.
“It’s a real boost for me as I successfully jumped up in weight to challenge someone heavier than me,” Chan said. “In the past year my training has mostly focused on doubles and lightweight singles.”
Chan credited head coach Kenny Wu Juning, who told him “not to panic” even though he was behind in the early stage of the race.
“Not only was I unfamiliar with the open sculls, but I also haven’t competed in the singles for a long time,” Chan said.
Yesterday’s gold medal was his first individual honour in a regional championship, but it adds to an impressive collection which includes gold and silver in doubles and quads at the 2019 Asian Championships.
Other medals for Hong Kong’s squad in Thailand included Jaden Head Li and Chen Pak-hong, who took silver in the under-19 men’s double sculls.
This year’s Asian Championships and Asian Junior Championships are back after a three-year hiatus caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and Hong
Kong has sent a delegation of 33 athletes.
China currently leads the medal table with two gold and three silvers ahead of Iran with two gold and three bronze.
Heading into today’s races,
Hong Kong were equal fourth with Indonesia.
Today’s line-up will see Tokyo Olympian Winne Hung partner Wong Sheung-yee in the lightweight women’s double sculls.
And the city’s top rower, Chiu Hin-chun, will be hoping to better his 2018 Asian Games silver medal when he contests the lightweight singles event.
Head coach Wu said he was “quite satisfied” with the preliminary results.
“This is an important race for us to use as a guideline for major events including the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023,” Wu said.
“Most of the team have not taken part in an international race for three years.”
Wu hinted there would be additional medals today, with Chiu securing a spot in the final after getting through in the lightweight singles.