Cheung Ka-long and Hong Kong foil team leave home behind for 6 to 9 months to ‘maximise’ skills ahead of 2022 Asian Games
- City’s top foilists are in Paris to train with France and Japan national teams ahead of bumper international calendar
- ‘We are in an opposition sport, so we need opponents to improve and fight,’ says coach Gregory Koenig
The Hong Kong foil team’s lengthy overseas excursion will help to “maximise” skills and motivation ahead of a bumper competitive calendar, coach Gregory Koenig has said.
“It’s been two years training in the same fencing hall without much movement, and only one competition in Doha after the [Tokyo 2020] Olympic Games, so training in different ways is very important for the Hong Kong team,” Koenig said.
“Being in a different environment means they will be much more passionate – I won’t say motivated because they are already motivated.
“We will have an amazing trip of maybe between six and nine months – the last competition should be the Asian Games. Unfortunately, I don’t think it will be possible to come back to Hong Kong earlier because spending three weeks in quarantine before these competitions is just impossible. We’ve planned for this and it’s easier now because we’re in Europe.”
Koenig, a France native, confirmed Hong Kong will train with the French and Japanese national teams in Paris, which will undoubtedly keep them on their toes after months of practising on the same pistes against the same local pool.
France are ranked second and third in the world in the men’s and women’s team foil, respectively, while Japan are fifth and sixth.
“We are in an opposition sport, so we need opponents to improve and fight,” Koenig said. “I want our fencers to use this time with the French and Japanese teams to maximise their fencing.
“And also to enjoy, because when you fence for so long against the same opponents, you start to really know what their skills are. Having new opponents will give them new motivation and goals on how to improve. This is why we’re here.
“We’re quite busy organising everything, but training has already started. The French team is still on holiday so when they come back after Christmas the quality of training will be much better.”
As for issues such as homesickness and pandemic-related fears, Koenig is confident he, Hong Kong foil assistant coach Maurizio Zomparelli, and staff will make the necessary arrangements.
“I will find a good balance between good training and a way for them to enjoy being so far from home, while also being motivated for their various competitions.”
