Karate couple put Tokyo Olympic Games before wedding – and Valentine’s Day will have to wait too

Engaged Hong Kong martial artists Chris Cheng and Jennifer Tsang have put romance aside as they try to qualify for the Olympic Games in Tokyo later this year

They talk about how training together has not only boosted their fitness levels, but their relationship as well

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Hong Kong’s Jennifer Tsang (left) lands a blow on Dilnoza Bakirova of Uzbekistan during the kumite women’s 50kg final at Gyeyang Gymnasium in Incheon, South Korea.

Published: 1:00pm, 13 Feb 2020Updated: 10:17pm, 13 Feb 2020

Love is in the air for martial artists Chris Cheng Tsz-man and Jennifer Tsang Yee-ting, a celebrated couple who both represent Hong Kong in international karate competitions. They are looking ahead to their wedding in January next year but are focused first on two goals: to qualify to compete in this year’s Olympic Games in Japan, and to stay clear of the coronavirus.

Karate is at the heart of their love story. The two met while on the Hong Kong national team and started dating in December 2013.

Tsang, 27, competes in the kumite women’s under-50kg category. Kumite is one of the three main karate disciplines, along with kata and kihon. She is ranked 23rd in the world. During her 22 years doing karate she has achieved countless accolades, including winning the 5th Urmia Karate Championships in Iran in 2014 and the 6th East Asian Senior Karatedo Championships in Taipei in 2016.

Cheng, 32, who competes in the kara category, has an equally decorated career. Ranked 24th in the world, he started the sport at the age of 15. Recent wins include gold medals last year at the Hong Kong 9th AKF Senior Karatedo Championships, plus the National Karate Series 1st and 2nd Stages in China.

Chris Cheng (left) and Tsang have represented Hong Kong in international karate competitions across the globe. Photo: Jennifer Tsang/Chris Cheng

But of all their achievements, their performances at the Asian Games in 2015 were among the most memorable in their careers and their relationship. Both found themselves on the podium at the event, where Cheng won a silver medal, and Tsang took bronze.