Ryan Choi’s mental strength key to World Championships title defence, Hong Kong coach says
Foil head coach Greg Koenig says world No 2 has overcome injury, but must ‘find enough psychological resources to fight’ at AsiaWorld-Expo
The man who has produced a double Olympic gold medallist and a world champion for Hong Kong said mental strength would be the key as the city’s top foilist begins his title defence on home soil at the Kerry Fencing World Championships on Saturday.
“I am quite confident, but there could be a bit of impact because he hasn’t had any other competition since the Asian Championship,” he said. “It’s complicated to know exactly if he will find enough psychological resources to fight for the championship.
“Choi didn’t train the same way as he would have trained if he were fully fit. When you train a bit less, the preparation is not the best, but he still has the skills and technical things and that can be enough.”
Choi will take on world No 173 Jose Briceno of Venezuela at 8.30am in one of the first eight bouts at the AsiaWorld-Expo, and Koenig stressed it would be more of a mental battle than a physical one for the reigning champion.
“It’s for him to understand that the injury is done and he can give 100 per cent,” the Frenchman said. “When you have been injured like this for some long weeks, you are a bit scared.