Vivian Kong wins the gold medal at the world cup. Photos: Facbook/FIE
Source:
https://scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2185575/hong-kong-fencer-vivian-kong-wins-her-second-world-cup-title-month Hong Kong
Hong Kong fencer Vivian Kong wins her second world cup title in a month
- Kong becomes world number two
- Now a big medal chance at the Tokyo Games
Hong Kong’s Vivian Kong celebrates after claiming her second world cup title in a month. Photos: Facebook/FIE
Fencer Vivian Kong Man-wai again proved herself a force to be reckoned with at the highest level, clinching her second world cup title in a month following her success in Barcelona on Sunday morning.
Kong, who just celebrated her 25th birthday on Friday, beat world No 20 Lee Hye-in of South Korea 15-13 in the women’s epee final to put herself on top of the podium.
Just last month, Kong became the first fencer from Hong Kong to claim a world cup title after she won in the series in Havana, Cuba. Her world ranking also surged to number two, the highest of any Hong Kong fencer.
She now stands a good chance of moving along the ladder to the world’s top spot as number one Mara Navarri of Italy was again not able to perform in Barcelona after falling in the round of 16.
Both fencers were exempted from the pool stage due to their world rankings and started in the round of 64, but the Italian, who is also the reigning world champion, was eliminated by Kelley Hurley of the United States in the knockout stage while Kong went all the way through to the final before removing the Korean for the title.
Kong and Navarri were separated by less than 30 points before the Barcelona event and Kong’s coach, Octavian Zidaru from Romania, said when they returned from Havana that his charge had the potential to become world number one as the difference between the two fencers is very small. 
Vivian Kong claims her medal. Photos: Facbook/FIE
Zidaru led Kong to become the first fencer from Hong Kong to reach the second round at the Olympic Games in Rio two years ago.
But after those Games, Kong has made sufficient progress to put herself among the top fencers to challenge at the Tokyo Games. Her form has been on the rise lately, claiming a silver medal in the World Cup series in Tallin, Estonia three months ago after losing to veteran Jung Hyo-jung of South Korea. She then returned home for the Hong Kong Open where she won the gold medal after defeating China national team member Xiang Yixuan.
Kong said before her departure she had little concern about spending her birthday overseas, which she has been used to, as long as she could bring home a good result.