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 PC pace: Chan Man-for (in blue) on the podium after a top run |
Police Athletics Club Chairman Stuart McDouall reports on all the colour and top Force performances of the recent Standard Chartered Bank Marathon, Half-Marathon and 10,000 meters.
In invigoratingly cool temperatures, Sunday February 4 saw 10,000 runners of all ages, nationalities, shapes and sizes, don different running garb, including fancy dress, to throng the Nathan Road Golden Mile.
The media lined pavements recording a colourful scene of balloons, lights, billboards and Police pipers as the Chief Executive started the race. Amongst the jubilant athletes were about 350 police officers, all 'having a go' in what is now the most spectacular annual sporting event in Hong Kong.
The crowded runners surged forward, led by a vanguard of elite international athletes following racecars and Police outriders. The flow of runners over the start line continued for a full five minutes until the last few were on their way.
The marathon and half-marathon took the same route towards Tsing Ma Bridge before returning to Kowloon and crossing to Hong Kong Island via the Western Harbour Tunnel. Meanwhile, the 10-kilometre event did a loop around Kowloon West before finishing with the other two events at the Convention and Exhibition Centre's Golden Bauhinia, where the Police Bands provided the triumphant tunes.
The 10K runners were first back with Police Constable Chan Man-for clinching third place in the Open Category in 35'06", while Woman Sergeant Grace Wong Yin-yee won the Veteran Ladies (10K) Category in 47'07".
The half-marathon provided a thrilling finish with PC Ching Ying-wai just being pipped at the post by an Amateur Athletics Association runner in a time of 1:17'51", with flash-bulbs popping and plenty of cheers as they sprinted to the line.
Also in the half-marathon was the Police Training School's Flora Lee Yin-ping who came in third in the veteran category in a creditable time of 1:40'22".
But the day's star was 50-year-old Ho Kam-fuk, a police cook, who finished the Marathon (Veteran's Category) in fifth position and in a spectacular time of 2:49'12". The first four finishers were all younger than him.