Russia protests, death of UAE president – what next as fencing World Cup resumes?

Former world No 1 Vivian Kong’s past two World Cup series campaigns were disrupted, but she hopes that is the last of her misfortune as she heads to Poland

Kong still fighting to regain top ranking in the season’s final World Cup series and the Asian Championships in Seoul

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Vivian Kong Man-wai (left) will give the World Cup series another crack in Poland. Photo: May Tse

Published: 2:39pm, 25 May 2022Updated: 8:15pm, 25 May 2022

Vivian Kong Man-wai is hoping to end her run of misfortune as she and her fellow Hong Kong fencers head to Poland this weekend for the last World Cup of the season.

Twice this season the world No 8’s event has been abruptly abandoned – because of protests about Ukraine and a president’s death respectively.

First, the World Cup in Sochi, Russia, was suspended in February with Kong into the semi-finals and looking good for a first medal of the season.

A series of protests and withdrawals from the fencers following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine led to the event being suspended before Kong’s last-four duel with Russian opponent Violetta Kolobova, whose previous two opponents had withdrawn.

Vivian Kong reached No 1 in the épée world rankings in 2019. Photo: Chinese Fencing Association

Then, two weeks ago in the United Arab Emirates, the Fujairah World Cup series was about to move into its second day when the host country entered a state of mourning after the death of its president – forcing the fencing to be cancelled.