Teenager Karen Chang already competing in senior world fencing championships
The jump from cadet to senior fencer has come in a flash for Karen Chang Ngai-hing - as quickly as a blade strikes the body.
Described as gifted by her coach, Chang left for Russia on Saturday to compete in the individual and team sabre events at the senior world championships in Kazan.
The 17-year-old helped Hong Kong win a bronze medal at last week's Asian Championships in Suwon, South Korea, and will soon be named for the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, in September.
"Chang is gifted. You can tell from her performance at the Asian Championships. She had only returned to regular training a month beforehand but she did well and contributed to the team," said Wong Tsan, the principal of Hong Kong Fencing School.
Chang is gifted. You can tell from her performance at the Asian Championships. She had only returned to regular training a month beforehand but she did well and contributed to the team
"She moved from foil to sabre about six years ago and has room for improvement in all areas. She has a mental toughness and is still maturing as a fencer. Qualifying for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics [in 2016] will be her goal but I believe she will hit her peak for the 2019 Asian Games and 2020 Tokyo Olympics," he said.