Hurdler Lui scoops grand prix gold in Hubei but falls short of record

Hong Kong's Vera Lui Lai-yiu scooped the gold medal at the Chinese National Athletics Grand Prix on Saturday, beating competitors from Jiangsu and Beijing in the 100-meter hurdles.

The competition in Huangshi, Hubei Province, was the fifth stop of the grand prix, which began in April.

The 28-year-old Lui won in 13.45 seconds, 0.17 seconds clear of Jiangsu's Yao Hui, who took silver, and 0.19 seconds faster than third-placed Dong Jia-xin.

Following a slow start, Lui, in the second lane, overtook her opponents after crossing the third hurdle.

But Lui's effort was well short of her personal-best time of 13.27 seconds. She set the record at the Hong Kong championships on April 29, when she lowered her best time twice in one day.

Before securing the gold medal, she had already won silver in the 100m hurdles at the Chinese Taipei Athletics Open on May 27.

In 2018, Lui became the first medal winner at the Asian Games among Hong Kong female hurdlers after clocking 13.42 seconds in the 100m hurdles - good for the bronze.

In addition to Lui, the Hong Kong team have delivered an impressive performance at the grand prix, with 18 SAR athletes taking part.

Male hurdler Anson Cheung Wang-fung, the silver medalist at the Chinese Taipei Athletics Open, was sixth with a time of 14.07 seconds in the 100m hurdles.

Ma Ka-ho and Chow Hon-kit were seventh and ninth in the long jump with best efforts of 7.12 meters and 5.91m, respectively.

Chow Kwan-wing, Priscilla Cheung Ching-laam and Tiffany Tang Yi-ching ranked fourth to sixth in women's high jump.

tsdreporter5@singtaonewscorp.com