Hong Kong gold medallist Vivian Kong gets heroine’s welcome upon arrival from Paris Olympics
- The Olympic star waved and blew kisses at dozens of people who welcomed her with cheers and called her an inspiration
Gold medal-winning Hong Kong fencer Vivian Kong Man-wai received a heroine’s welcome on Thursday upon her arrival from the Paris Olympics, with fans calling her an inspiration.
The 30-year-old épéeist, who won the city’s first gold of this year’s Games on Sunday, made it to the arrival hall around 6.30am, a few hours after swimmer Siobhan Haughey clinched her second bronze medal.
Dozens of people stopped by to meet the star athlete, including those arriving on Hong Kong-bound flights or on layovers.
Kong held a bouquet and waved to onlookers, alongside fellow fencer and Olympian Daphne Chan Nok-Sze, when some welcomed her with cheers.
She also pulled her gold medal out of her pocket with a big smile after spotting a crowd of cameras set up by the press.
“It still feels unreal. It still feels like I have to go [training] but I don’t have to today,” she said. “I think I’m going to try and let this sink in then decide what’s next.”