A 59-year-old triathlete was found dead after going missing during a race held amid an amber rainstorm warning in Tai Po, Hong Kong, raising calls for suspension of water sports events under such weather alerts.
The male participant, identified as Ma Chi-po, was discovered by Fire Services Department divers at approximately 3:17 p.m. on Sunday. He was transported to Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital in Tai Po, where he was pronounced dead at 3:33 p.m. Authorities received a report at 7:57 a.m. that Ma had failed to resurface after entering the water for the swimming segment of the 2026 Summer Triathlon Challenge at Tai Mei Tuk Water Sports Centre.
The triathlon comprised a 1,500-meter swim, a 30-kilometer cycling portion along Bride’s Pool Road, and an 8-kilometer run. Ma, a retired marine police officer, reportedly entered the water around 6:12 a.m., just two minutes after the Hong Kong Observatory issued an amber rainstorm warning at 6:10 a.m. The warning, the lowest tier in a three-level rainstorm alert system, cautioned of squally thunderstorms expected during the morning hours.
The Hong Kong Observatory reported that over 30 millimeters of rain had fallen across much of the city, with some areas in Lantau and Sai Kung exceeding 50 millimeters—the threshold for a red rainstorm warning. As the event proceeded despite the amber alert, marine police and Fire Services Department search teams conducted extensive searches of the water.
Experts highlighted the risks posed by adverse weather conditions during water sports activities. Patrick Lau Wing-chung, chair of the department of sports and health sciences at Baptist University, noted that local weather has become increasingly volatile due to climate extremes. He emphasized that intense localized downpours can reduce visibility for lifeguards, disrupt communications, and create hazardous conditions underwater. Lau advocated for organizers to cancel water sports events when amber storm warnings are in effect while adding that cancellation decisions should also consider other factors such as currents, wind speeds, turbulence, and lightning threats to ensure safety.
The Triathlon Association of Hong Kong, China, which organized the event, expressed condolences to Ma’s family. According to the association’s inclement weather policy, events are cancelled if a No. 8 typhoon signal or higher is issued by noon on the day before the event. Races are also called off if a No. 3 typhoon signal or red or black rainstorm warning is in effect two hours prior to the scheduled start of participants on race day. The association serves as Hong Kong’s official governing body for triathlon, recognized by the international federation World Triathlon, and schedules 14 endurance events annually, including triathlons, duathlons, and aquathlons.
The incident has intensified discussion on weather-related safety protocols for endurance races, with calls from local residents and sports professionals for clearer guidelines on event suspension under rainstorm alerts to prevent future tragedies.