Hong Kong Olympic fencer Cheung Ka-long wins junior World Cup foil title
The 19-year-old beats world No 3 junior Petar Files, of Croatia, to continue his outstanding form after a last-16 place at the Rio Games
Foilist Cheung Ka-long continued his fine form from the summer Olympics as Hong Kong’s top fencer lifted the junior World Cup title in Bangkok on Saturday.
The first male fencer from Hong Kong to reach the last 16 of the Olympics, at Rio in August, Cheung was simply unbeatable in the event featuring 47 top fencers from all over the world.
Hong Kong sent four young fencers for the event, including Ryan Choi Chun-yin, the 2014 Youth Olympic silver medallist. But Choi, along with the two other fencers, was eliminated in the round of 16, leaving Cheung the only hope of challenging for a medal.
And the 19-year-old did not let the team down, overcoming three fencers from Japan in the knockout stage before reaching the final where he took on Croatia’s Petar Files of Croatia, the world number three junior, and won 5-11.
It was Cheung’s second major success of the year. In April, in Wuxi, China, Cheung, who was still only 18, lifted the Asian Championships title, with impressive victories over former Olympic and world champions.
