Chan Ka-ho shines in 10km event as Olympian wife Christy Yiu watches on with the pair looking to start a family
Desire to beat his younger teammates drives the 32-year-old to an impressive victory as Hong Kong Marathon lights up Victoria Park
With his wife Christy Yiu Kit-ching sitting out as the couple look to start a family, veteran local runner Chan Ka-ho flew the flag with an impressive victory in Sunday’s 10km run on Hong Kong Marathon day.
Yiu, Hong Kong’s top female marathon runner, was close at hand in the commentary box to see her husband’s win.
The Rio Olympian said this week she is showing a “few early signs” of pregnancy and Chan, who won in 32 minutes and 10 seconds, is excited by the prospect of starting a family.
“We are hoping to create a family and maybe our baby will follow us into running,” he said.
“Maybe we can train them to a high [level of] performance and they can compete in the Olympics like their mother.”
A determination to outdo his younger teammates who wanted to beat him “very much” was all the motivation Chan needed to come out on top.
The 32-year-old crossed the line just ahead of his three Nike Running Club teammates Shuen Chun-kit, Kok Yu-hang and Wong Tsz-to.
“The young guys wanted to beat me very much because I am old, I am more than 10 years older than them,” said Chan, who works as a running coach.
“They are so amazing. They do triathlons and they are very good.”
The Hong Kong-based Nike Running Club filled the top four placings in a dominant performance.
It was Chan’s 15th time running on Hong Kong Marathon day, including three marathons and six half-marathons.
“I have suffered injuries to my knee and hamstring so I can’t run too far at the moment,” he said.
“I have been training specifically for the 10km.”
Chan’s teammates Kok and Wong are members of the Hong Kong triathlon team and Shuen is a former member, with 18-year-old Wong the first finishing junior in 32:18.
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Thirty-four-year-old Gavin Massingham, who was once the sixth-ranked 1,500 metres runner in the UK, was the first across the line in the masters category, clocking 32:58 to finish sixth overall.
The women’s race was taken out by another Hong Kong local, Mabel Lui Wai-man getting home in 38:06.
The result came as a surprise to Lui, who recently finished her studies at City University and is now working as a teacher.
“I just started my work so I only train one to two times a week,” Lui said. “It’s a surprise, I feel so happy because I didn’t expect to win.”
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Lui’s increased work commitments saw her step back from the half-marathon, which she has run for the past seven years.
Her best finish in that event was a fourth overall – and first local across the line – however, it might be some time until we again see her in the longer races.
“I am still studying at night school so I can’t do much training,” she said. “The course is about two years, so I can’t do a lot of training during the two years.”
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Kate Rutherford saluted in the women’s masters, posting 38:48 to finish third overall in her second time running the race.
“It was good today, hard going. It was quite dry out there air wise,” the 43-year-old said.
