Hong Kong secured their second medal at the Asian Beach Games in Sanya on Sunday, after the men’s 12‑strong 400m dragon boat team claimed bronze following a dramatic race for the line.
On the sixth day of competition in Hainan Island, the city crew clocked 1 minute and 40.188 seconds in the grand final on the Sanya River, coming home just 0.022 seconds ahead of fourth-placed Chinese Taipei, who clocked 1:40.210.
China took gold in 1:34.990, with silver going to Thailand, who managed 1:35.614.
Hong Kong’s path to the podium was hard fought. Placing second in their heat, they missed automatic qualification for the final before capitalising on their second chance to progress with a powerful semi-final showing.
They finished second behind the Chinese Taipei boat but a time of 1:37.415, their fastest of the day, was sufficient to beat the Philippines and Macau and secure a spot in the medal race.
Their eventual bronze added to the silver that the city’s aquathlon mixed-relay quartet claimed on Saturday.
