Sport onto a winner amid Cheung glory

The importance of nurturing and funding the city’s athletic development has been underlined with fencer Edgar Cheung Ka-long claiming the world title in Paris

SCMP Editorial

Published: 8:15am, 18 Jan, 2022

Why you can trust SCMP

Fencing champion Edgar Cheung Ka-long has made Hong Kong history again. Just as the city bemoans the extension of Covid-19 restrictions, the Tokyo Olympic gold medallist gave the public a dose of joy at the weekend with his victory in the men’s individual foil at the FIE World Cup in Paris. Pride and glory for the athlete and community aside, the achievement points the way to further consolidation and improvement in sports development.

It is encouraging that the 24-year-old has followed swimmer Siobhan Haughey’s footsteps to cement his athletic credentials with Olympic and world championships within six months. The two-times Tokyo Games silver medallist furthered her status by clinching two gold medals and a bronze at the World Short-Course Championships in Abu Dhabi last month. If there is any difference between the pair, it would probably be that a fencing Olympic gold medal, the city’s second such gold following windsurfing queen Lee Lai-shan’s triumph at Atlanta in 1996, came as a welcome surprise. Now Cheung has proved his strength again.

Olympian’s heartfelt message to Hong Kong parents: let your child be a fencer

The remarkable success of the pair goes beyond personal honour. Our world-class athletes are not just a source of social identity and inspiration, but also an engine for policy reforms. The better than expected performance of the Hong Kong team at the Tokyo Olympics – one gold, two silvers and three bronzes – has prompted the government to commit more time, effort and money to sports. Cheung’s latest achievement has helped sustain the momentum in furthering that development. Even though the city’s small delegation to the Winter Olympics in Beijing next month is not expected to shine, the public still has a lot to look forward to, such as September’s Asian Games in Hangzhou and other international competitions this year.

The city has come a long way in establishing itself in the world sports arena, and its full potential has yet to be achieved. One of the initiatives in recent government restructuring proposals is to create a new policy bureau overseeing sports, culture and tourism. This has raised hopes of a more strategic and focused approach to sports development. It is to be hoped that a lot more may be achieved.