Yu and Chan lead HK's World Cup medal hopes

Hong Kong have high hopes for a big medal haul when the Wheelchair Fencing World Cup starts today.

Two of the top women in the world rankings, Yu Chui-yee and Chan Yui-chong are the SAR's leading lights in the three-day, 12 nation event hosted by the Hong Kong Paralympic Committee and Sports Association for the Physically Disabled at the Regal Riverside Hotel in Sha Tin.

Yu, who won four gold medals in the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games, is currently ranked number two in foil and epee in category A. Chan is currently number one in foil and epee in category B.

Both women will be presented with special awards during this competition. Yu will receive the 2005 World Cup Best Female Fencer Award in category A epee and Chan will receive two Best Fencer Awards. 'I'm really happy to be able to receive the award at home,' Yu said. 'I will share it with my family and friends.'

Chan said she has been training four to five nights each week including practice sessions this week with members of the visiting French and US teams. 'The most important thing in competition is to deliver what we have done in training,' Chan said. 'It is important to relax and try our best.'

A total of 80 fencers will contest 10 individual events and two team competitions. The countries represented are: France, Poland, Italy, Ukraine, Hungary, the US, China, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Malaysia and Hong Kong.