https://www.scmp.com/rss/524100/feed The latest news and top stories on Greg Koenig, the French head coach of Hong Kong's national foil team. Known for his instrumental role in the success of Hong Kong fencers, including Olympic gold medallist Edgar Cheung, he has been recognised with consecutive Coach of the Year awards. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Stephy Zhang Stephy Zhang Cheung Ka-long hit back at his online critics after he claimed bronze from the Foil Grand Prix in Peru on Monday. Currently down at world No 9 after a fallow period following his 2024 Olympic gold, Cheung has now claimed consecutive podium finishes following his third place at last month’s grand prix in Italy. He won an all-Hong Kong battle with Ryan Choi Chun-yin in his Lima quarter-final, before going down 15-3 to Kirill Borodachev in the last four. After recently incurring the wrath of some... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3347623/hong-kongs-cheung-ka-long-dismisses-online-critics-after-claiming-bronze-peru?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3347623/hong-kongs-cheung-ka-long-dismisses-online-critics-after-claiming-bronze-peru?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 12:45:09 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan Greg Koenig said it was still too early to worry about one of his top fencers after two-time Olympic champion Cheung Ka-long’s slow start to the season. The decorated left-hander finished No 19 and No 21 at World Cup appearances in Fukuoka in December 2025 and Paris in January 2026, and has reached the podium only twice in 12 competitions since winning Olympic gold at the Grand Palais in Paris 18 months ago. A red card and a second-round exit at the regional championships last June were followed... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3341390/hong-kong-fencing-coach-greg-koenig-backs-cheung-ka-long-regain-form-after-slow-start?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3341390/hong-kong-fencing-coach-greg-koenig-backs-cheung-ka-long-regain-form-after-slow-start?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 09:00:13 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Ryan Choi Chun-yin has welcomed the “exciting and refreshing” emergence of a new generation of Hong Kong fencing stars, and intimated that he could quit the sport following the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. World champion Choi combined with Cheung Ka-long, the two-time Olympic champion, and the youthful pair of Cheng Tit-nam, 20, and Mike Lam Ho-long, 18, for team gold from this month’s Foil World Cup leg in Paris. Harris Ho-Shing-him, 16, and 21-year-old Leung Chin-yu have also gained senior... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3341109/hong-kong-fencing-star-ryan-choi-welcomes-exciting-and-refreshing-new-generation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3341109/hong-kong-fencing-star-ryan-choi-welcomes-exciting-and-refreshing-new-generation?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jan 2026 11:30:08 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan The mastermind behind two men’s foil individual Olympic gold medals and one world title said he was confident about the future of the sport in the city after their recent World Cup success in Paris. Greg Koenig, Hong Kong’s foil team head coach, also said the abundant wealth of young fencers at his disposal was part of the reason for his wanting to stay at the helm for a longer time. Reflecting on the Paris World Cup, which saw world No 1 Ryan Choi Chun-yin finish second individually and the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3340830/hong-kongs-abundance-young-fencing-talent-gives-coach-greg-koenig-optimism-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3340830/hong-kongs-abundance-young-fencing-talent-gives-coach-greg-koenig-optimism-future?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 11:00:13 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan Hong Kong’s foil fencers need to “fix something” and Cheung Ka-long’s return to his Olympic-winning form could take time, coach Greg Koenig has admitted after a disappointing team display at the World Cup in Japan. Koenig, who as foil head coach oversaw Hong Kong’s team gold medal at the National Games at Kai Tak Arena last month, said he was surprised his foilists fell at the first hurdle in the World Cup’s team competition in Fukuoka on Sunday. And he admitted his squad will pay the price... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3335607/hong-kong-fencers-must-fix-something-get-2028-olympic-ambition-back-track?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3335607/hong-kong-fencers-must-fix-something-get-2028-olympic-ambition-back-track?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Dec 2025 09:59:48 +0000 SCMP Sport SCMP Sport Hong Kong’s world-class fencers Cheung Ka-long and Ryan Choi Chun-yin will aim to write the ending they wanted first time around when they get their second shot at National Games glory on Wednesday. The pair were hoping to face each other in the individual foil semi-finals on home soil on Sunday, with the winner going on to take the title, but Choi was knocked out in the quarters and Cheung lost the semi, having to console himself with bronze. They will join forces in search of a better outcome... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3333317/national-games-fencers-cheung-choi-team-coleman-wong-semi-what-watch-day-10?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3333317/national-games-fencers-cheung-choi-team-coleman-wong-semi-what-watch-day-10?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Nov 2025 23:00:09 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan Hong Kong’s épée men wasted no time in shifting their focus to this week’s team event, after all three left Kai Tak Arena empty-handed on Monday. There was no repeat of the individual silver claimed by Aaron Ho Sze-long in men’s sabre or the bronze Kaylin Hsieh Sin-yan picked up in the women’s épée, with Cedric Ho Wai-hang, Fong Hoi-sun and Ng Ho-tin all failing to make it past the second knockout round. Of the three, Ho made it the furthest, and only because he knocked out Ng in the first... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3333130/national-games-hong-kongs-epee-men-turn-team-event-after-all-3-are-knocked-out-early?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3333130/national-games-hong-kongs-epee-men-turn-team-event-after-all-3-are-knocked-out-early?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Nov 2025 12:06:47 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan Hong Kong’s fencing team said they were disappointed but not defeated by the men’s individual foil results, after Cheung Ka-long only took home a bronze medal at the National Games on Sunday. World champion Ryan Choi Chun-yin had fallen first in the quarter-finals, losing 15-9 to Xu Jie and ending any hopes of a mouthwatering last four clash with Cheung. Xu, who was representing Fujian, then went on to beat two-time Olympic champion Cheung by an identical score. Despite eventually securing a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3333000/national-games-hong-kong-fencers-disappointed-foil-bronze-vow-do-better-team?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3333000/national-games-hong-kong-fencers-disappointed-foil-bronze-vow-do-better-team?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Nov 2025 14:34:00 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Greg Koenig has overseen the rise of Hong Kong’s greatest Olympian and helped inspire the fencing craze sweeping the city, and he is not minded to stop there. “I’m proud of what I’ve given to Hong Kong, but I’m never satisfied; I think I can do more,” said Koenig, who masterminded Cheung Ka-long’s Olympic golds in Tokyo and Paris. Koenig has retained the passion, enthusiasm, dedication and curiosity that have made him one of the world’s best coaches. Alongside the pursuit of his enduring... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3331167/hong-kong-coach-greg-koenig-ready-some-me-time-after-life-fencing-and-medals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3331167/hong-kong-coach-greg-koenig-ready-some-me-time-after-life-fencing-and-medals?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Nov 2025 00:00:11 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan Champion fencer Cheung Ka-long finally returned to normal training last week as he builds up to the National Games, and a fully rested and rejuvenated two-time Olympic champion is probably the last man any opponent would wish to meet on the piste at Kai Tak Arena next month. It was the first time the Hongkonger had picked up his weapon since his stunning first-round loss at the World Fencing Championships in Tbilisi on July 23. He did pick it up once in that time, but only for a friendly... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3329103/rested-and-refreshed-hong-kong-fencer-cheung-ka-long-ready-national-games-build?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3329103/rested-and-refreshed-hong-kong-fencer-cheung-ka-long-ready-national-games-build?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Oct 2025 23:00:10 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan The coach behind Hong Kong’s fencing success has boldly targeted four men’s foil medals – all the individual prizes and team gold – at next month’s National Games, saying such a sweep would be “perfect”. Greg Koenig, who leads the men’s and women’s foil teams, expressed full confidence in his charges and noted that the Games’ format might give Hong Kong an edge over the other provinces and cities. The city will be represented at Kai Tak Arena by two-time and reigning Olympic champion Cheung... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3328800/hong-kong-foil-fencers-target-perfect-sweep-national-games-medals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3328800/hong-kong-foil-fencers-target-perfect-sweep-national-games-medals?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Oct 2025 00:00:08 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan Hong Kong’s two-time Olympic champion fencer Cheung Ka-long has reached a pivotal moment and must reset mentally to move forward, his coach has said. Greg Koenig, head coach of the city’s men’s and women’s foil teams, said Cheung must rediscover his love of the sport when he returns to training this week following a two-month break. From there, he will seek National Games success next month, and can set his sights on becoming the first to win a third Olympic individual foil crown, in Los Angeles... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3328151/cheung-ka-long-needs-mental-reset-win-third-olympic-fencing-gold-coach-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3328151/cheung-ka-long-needs-mental-reset-win-third-olympic-fencing-gold-coach-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Oct 2025 00:00:11 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara After the Hong Kong Football Festival finished on Thursday, the city’s attention has turned the major role it will play in staging the 2025 National Games. Saturday marked 100 days until the multi-sports bonanza starts on November 9, with eight competition events being hosted in Hong Kong. Yeung Tak-keung, head of the city’s National Games Coordination Office, has acknowledged that potential success on home soil was a factor determining which sports would come to the city. “One of the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3320530/national-games-co-host-hong-kong-plots-glory-it-starts-100-day-countdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3320530/national-games-co-host-hong-kong-plots-glory-it-starts-100-day-countdown?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Aug 2025 09:30:08 +0000