New Stars

Yip Tak-long, Nick   Talented in sports, Nick has been a regular member of his school’s running and swimming teams since very young age.  Cycling was also one of his hobbies.  Discovering that Nick had great potential in triathlon, his father arranged Nick to join the Hong Kong Triathlon Association to receive relevant training.  After a year of training and preparation, Nick, then 8 years old, made his debut in a triathlon competition, and has since aspired to become a winning triathlete.

In pursuit of a real victory

Currently studying at Diocesan Boys’ School, Nick is a member of the Hong Kong Triathlon National Squad (the National Squad) and concurrently a captain of his school athletics team.  At first, he was so desperate for winning that he even forgot the real fun of sports.  It was not until later that he participated more in overseas competitions when he finally realised enjoyment, instead of just passion, was the key to winning a competition.  Making strategic decisions and preparations on building physical strength and time management was also indispensable to good results in each and every competition.  What was more, Nick understood that experience was a prerequisite to success, as he could always learn something from competitions and then thrive, helping him address the adversity in a more mature manner and allow for better self-adjustment.

 

Aiming for the Asian Games with a never-say-die belief

Nick’s most unforgettable moment came when he took part in the 2nd National Youth Games of the People’s Republic of China held on the Mainland in 2019.  At that time, he was lagging way behind after the first two legs, yet refused to give up and adjusted his strategy on the spot.  He managed to catch up from behind in the cycling leg, and eventually staged a dramatic comeback with sprint in the final 400m, winning the championship of the competition.  Such a victory was a convincing testament to his own strength and years of dedication, while serving as a reminder as to the importance of the never-say-die belief.  Nick now plans to secure the qualifications for competing in the Asian Games in the years to come, in the hope of being presented medals on award podiums.  Nick also hopes to represent Hong Kong to compete at the Olympic Games in future, in relentless pursuit of his legacy.

  

Pauline Courret   At the age of only 16, Pauline Courret from France has to date accumulated five years’ experience in triathlon.  This year, she will join the junior group of the National Squad.  A running lover and an adept swimmer, Pauline was, however, scared of cycling in her early days.  For such a reason, she refrained from triathlon events then, and mainly participated in aquathon events instead.

Overcoming the mental abyss with encouragement from dear friends

In 2015, her teammate encouraged Pauline to enrol in duathlon together, consisting of running and cycling legs. Hesitant at first, she eventually decided to accept the challenge out of sheer curiosity.  Her first-hand experience in the competition drove away the fear of cycling, making her determined to switch to triathlon.

 

Adapting to professional development

Seeing triathlon as a hobby at a young age, Pauline changed her attitude towards the sport upon being admitted to the Young Athlete Triathlon Training Scheme on recommendations, and since then she has set various goals as to her performance.  Despite the failures and setbacks over the years, she has grown from strength to strength, thanks to her strive for excellence.  Pauline eventually rose to prominence as a member of the National Squad at the age of 13.

 

Among Pauline’s notable results, the most remarkable has been her debut as the representative of Hong Kong in the 2019 ASTC Triathlon Asian Championships, defeating all the elite triathletes and securing her championship of the U15 Women event.  She added that her current goal was to continue stepping up her training effort as a member of the junior group of the National Squad, in the hope of joining the World Triathlon (formerly the International Triathlon Union) in the near future to compete with elite triathletes across the world.  Pauline wishes to represent Hong Kong at the Olympic Games one day to bring glory to the city.