“To have three boys in the top eight is a solid result,” Wright added. “But a few technical mistakes cost us better positions, it could have been [more] outstanding.

“Robin fell off his bike and lost his nutrition but managed to catch up and keep riding. This cost him on the run, though.”

In contention for the “new flag” qualifying berth to the 2024 Olympics – in which the top-ranked men’s and women’s triathlete whose country or region has not qualified for Paris will get a spot – Ng was sandwiched between Yu and Elg in sixth spot after his opening 750-metre swim.

The Hongkonger lost a bit of time over the 20.1-kilometre bicycle ride but pulled off a decent run, covering the five kilometres in 14 minutes 54 seconds, or averaging 2:58.8 minutes per kilometre.

A finishing time of 54:27 minutes put the 24-year-old in fourth place, tied with his debut in June 2022 but two places short of his career-best second in Al-Khobar last November.

With Beisenbayev finishing more than two minutes behind in 20th place, Ng will overtake his rival when the rankings are updated on Monday.

“We will wait for tomorrow as they will update the points list but now there should be a reasonable gap between him and the Kazakh,” Wright said. “I am delighted with Ng’s safe and well-executed race; also fitness is there across the board in most our athletes.”

Nicholas Tsang Cheung-sing finished one place behind Beisenbayev, while Yip Tak-long and Lam Lok-shi came in at No 25 and No 29.

Home athletes Fan Junjie and Ma Yunxiang took two podium places with Takumi Hojo of Japan managing a runner-up finish.

Fan finished in 54 minutes 4 seconds but there were only 13 seconds separating the podium takers.

In the women’s event, Bailee Brown finished seventh, her worst in three appearances, to set the pace for the city’s triathletes.

A technical mistake at the first transition doomed the 24-year-old to the bottom pack, though she managed to come back and finished just over half a minute behind outright winner Lu Meiyi of China, who finished in one hour, 44 seconds.

Japanese duo Miyu Sakai and Sarika Nakayama came in 15 and 19 seconds behind to complete the podium. Brown’s main rival, Ekaterina Shabalina of Kazakhstan, finished in 14th place, almost 90 seconds behind.

Wright said it was “great” to beat the Kazakh but he also lamented the technical mistake that cost Brown “many” points and positions.

“Bailee couldn’t get her wetsuit off so [she] missed the bike pack,” he said. “It took her the whole bike [leg] to chase back and this significantly slowed her run.”

Cade Wright, who finished in 1:01.55, was the only other Hongkonger to finish inside the top 10.

Tallulah Wright, Pauline Courret and Charlotte Hall finished in the top 20 while Hilda Choi Yan-yin, returning from the nasty finger injury that ruled her out of the Hangzhou Asian Games, was disqualified.

There’s still all to play for Ng and Brown, with another continental championship at the Olympic distance still to come in Hatsukaichi, Japan, on April 21.

Ng is now in pole position while Brown remains somewhat behind Shabalina despite Sunday’s results.

The cut-off for getting the nod for Paris via the individual Olympic rankings is May 24.