The 2026 Hong Kong 100 trail race will get underway next Thursday. The 30 km category will take place on January 22. From the announced elite entry list, there are plenty of highlights.

On the men's side, the 2024 champion, South Korea's Kim Jisub，Chinese marathon (PB 2:15) and trail-running specialistQi Chaohaiare favorites for the title. Zhang Juemin, with an ITRA performance score of 841, could be a dark horse.

Yang Chunlong, who has a marathon PB of 2:11, is listed in this category and also appears on the 50 km entry list — so which distance will he race?

This year the HK100 30-kilometer course has been altered; the total distance is 30.82 kilometers, with 1,351 m of ascent and 1,362 m of descent, which should produce faster finishing times.

On the women's side, Hong Kong's Lee Tsz Kwan (2025 bronze medallist) and Mei Yong Yii lead the field. British ultra specialist Joanna Mockford is also a strong contender.

Facing relatively weak opposition, Chinese marathoner Fan Kaili may have a chance to take the title.