Olympic champion Cheung Ka-long seeking world title, after winning LCSD Open Fencing Championships
- Cheung beats Ryan Choi in final after coming from behind by channelling spirit that helped him win gold in Tokyo
- Janelle Leung Ya-lei wins women’s foil title at Hong Kong Park Sports Centre
Cheung Ka-long channelled his “Olympic spirit” to win the LCSD Open Fencing Championships on Sunday, and then immediately set his sights on winning a world title.
The Tokyo Games gold medallist beat fellow Olympian Ryan Choi Chun-yin in a thrilling final bout at Hong Kong Park Sports Centre, coming from 14-12 down to win 15-14.
In a stacked tournament featuring several of the men’s best fencers, Cheung claimed his third LCSD title, having won previously in 2018 and 2019.
“For the last few points, my mindset is like in the Tokyo Olympics, never give up even when I’m behind, and I just go with some variation and try some new tricks to see if it works,” Cheung said.
The Olympian has enjoyed a successful year after winning gold in Japan, and claimed his first world cup title in Paris in January, and became world No 1 in April, although he subsequently slipped to second behind Italy’s Tommaso Marini.
And for Cheung, reclaiming top spot from a man he has never beaten is less important than winning the world title.
“I found that I am not the same person I used to be,” Cheung said. “I am less impulsive when competing, and I hope to find the best of both rationality and impulsiveness. Sometimes we need the drive to take some risky and aggressive shots.