‘Could there be a system notification if a participant enters the water but does not reach the finish line after 15 minutes?’ lawmaker Vincent Cheng says
Hong Kong sporting event organisers should use technology to better track and monitor athletes, lawmakers have urged after a triathlon swimmer went missing at sea in Tai Po and was later found dead.
The death, involving a participant in the city’s Summer Triathlon Challenge on Sunday, has raised concerns over whether safety measures for such races are sufficient, especially amid unstable weather.
“Since technology has advanced, can the GPS be optimised? In many past races, participants used GPS to log checkpoints and completion times,” said lawmaker Vincent Cheng Wing-shun, who had also signed up for the race but did not enter the water.
“Could there be a system notification if a participant enters the water but does not reach the finish line after 15 minutes, or within a set time frame?”
Speaking on a radio programme, Cheng questioned why it took so long before anyone realised the participant was missing, and urged the organiser to review video recordings and participant logs.
Ma Chi-po, 59, was competing in the race on Sunday, which comprised a 1,500-metre swim, a 30km cycling leg along Bride’s Pool Road, and an 8km (5 miles) run.