Cyclist Charles Ng misses medals by seconds in rain-soaked National Games time trial

Hong Kong's Charles Ng Pak-hang pedaled to a heart-wrenching fourth place in the men's individual time trial at the 15th National Games in Zhuhai on Friday, finishing just eight seconds shy of bronze amid slippery conditions that also hampered teammate Vincent Lau Wan-yau's sixth-place run.

The 40-kilometer flat course favored heavier riders, but Ng clocked 46 minutes 43.98 seconds—agonizingly close to Shandong's Cao Houwang on the podium.

Shandong teammate Miao Chengshuo claimed gold in 46:17.32, with Tianjin's Xue Ming taking silver at 46:27.93.

Ng admitted the near miss stung, noting every rider poured everything into chasing hardware on the biggest stage.

Lau, finishing sixth, attributed the morning downpour to cautious cornering that cost precious speed, prioritizing safety over risk in the slick bends.

In the women's race, Hong Kong's Chloe Leung Wing-yee powered to eighth in 40:32.22, content with her effort despite the pancake-flat route suiting bulkier competitors.

The lightweight rider thrives on climbs but embraced the challenge, expressing overall satisfaction with her National Games debut.

A full squad of nine Hong Kong cyclists—including time-trial standouts Ng and Lau—will line up for the men’s individual road race this Saturday at the 15th National Games in Zhuhai.

Joining the duo are Tso Kai-kwong, Chu Tsun-wai, Ng Sum-lui, Spencer Cheung, Stuart Yau, and Tommy Wu, rounding out the lineup.

The race features a 231.8-kilometer route across Zhuhai, Hong Kong, and Macau, during which riders will cross the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge.