Tokyo 2020: Hong Kong fencer Vivian Kong wants Covid-19 vaccination – ‘this will give us more confidence’

Olympic hopeful Vivian Kong Man-wai boosted her confidence ahead of next year’s Tokyo Games after being named best female athlete for 2019 by the Hong Kong Sports Press Association. Next year, she hopes to get a real shot in the arm as she seeks immunisation from the coronavirus to make her trip to Tokyo safe.

The 26-year-old epeeist, who has already booked her ticket to the pandemic-postponed 2020 Olympics, says she will get vaccinated once a vaccine becomes available.

The talented fencer, who beat two-time world champion cyclist Sarah Lee Wai-size to Wednesday’s prize, said she was going to heed the advice of International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach who issued a plea this week to all competitors to get the much sought-after jab before the Games.

Both Kong and gymnast Shek Wai-hung, who was named best male athlete, said they would take the Covid-19 vaccine to help protect themselves and others at the Games.

“If a vaccine is available, it should be safe and effective and will give us more confidence,” said Kong at the award presentation which was delayed by almost a year due to the interruption brought by the pandemic. Shek said there was no reason for not getting vaccinated.

“I sincerely hope the Tokyo Games can go ahead and I will take Covid-19 vaccine injection,” he promised.

Hong Kong fencer Vivian Kong inspired by rival Nathalie Moellhausen to beat boredom and stay motivated during Covid-19

Kenneth Fok Kai-kong, vice-president of the Olympic Committee and presenter at Wednesday’s awards, said they would monitor the situation closely regarding the use of vaccine for athletes.

“We have already asked the Sports Institute’s sports medicine department to study the vaccine usage so that they can disseminate timely information to athletes and their family to minimise any worries,” said Fok, Hong Kong’s chef de mission at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

On Tuesday, Bach said athletes wouldn’t be required to take a coronavirus vaccine to compete at the Tokyo Olympics, adding that mandatory shots would be “going too far”.

“There are too many issues to consider. This is a question of private health,” said the IOC chief during a tour of the Olympic Village. “It is a question also of [the] health conditions of each and every person. It’s a question of availability.”

However, the IOC will “appeal” to athletes and others to be vaccinated, calling it a “sign of respect” for other competitors and the Japanese hosts.

Kong had a breakthrough 2019, becoming the first Hong Kong fencer to occupy the world number one spot after capturing two World Cup titles in Havana and Barcelona respectively. She was also the first World Cup winner from Hong Kong. She then captured a bronze medal at the World Championships in Budapest, also a Hong Kong first in fencing.

Tokyo 2020: fencer Vivian Kong to kick off Hong Kong’s medal quest at next year’s Olympics

But Kong tore her anterior cruciate ligament at the Worlds, forcing her to return to Hong Kong for treatment before the team event started.

“I learned a lot in 2019 but it has also been a great year for me especially with getting my first award from the sports media,” said Kong, who has gained popularity among sports fans in Hong Kong. “The pandemic has stopped most of the competitions this year but at the same time it has given me more time to focus on improving my skills as I prepare for the Tokyo Olympics.”

Shek won the back-to-back awards after his 2018 Asian Games gold medal success in the vault. In 2019, he clinched the gold medal in the event in two Challenge World Cups in Osijek, Croatia and Koper, Slovenia. He said he would also enter the horizontal bar event in Tokyo next summer.