World University Games: Hong Kong’s fencing star Cheung Ka-long secures second gold with men’s team foil victory
- Hong Kong beat hosts China 45-35 in semi-finals, and France 45-33 in final on Monday in Chengdu
- City’s medal count jumps to 12, tripling tally of four in Taiwan 2017
Fencing star Cheung Ka-long added a second gold medal for himself, and a fourth for Hong Kong at the FISU World University Games in Chengdu after guiding the team past France 45-33 in the men’s team foil final on Monday.
The 26-year-old became the first Hong Kong athlete to bag two gold medals at a single Games since Siobhan Haughey in Taipei in 2017, when the city’s swimming icon won the 100 metres and 200m freestyle competitions.
Olympic champion Cheung’s victory also marked the city’s 12th medal at these Games, tripling its previous best tally of four, achieved six years ago in Taiwan.
Leading up to the final, Hong Kong thrashed Macau 45-3 and edged past Poland 45-42 before setting up a clash with China. With Cheung shouldering the team, Hong Kong never trailed, ultimately securing a comfortable win.
Fresh from his gold medal victory at the individual event last Friday, Cheung gave Hong Kong a slender 5-4 lead after the opening session against France.
But it was world No 122 Aaron Lee Yat-long who widened the gap for Hong Kong. The 22-year-old outscored Pierre Loisel, who took silver in the individual event, and world No 83 Maximilien Chastane to give Hong Kong to a double-digit lead.
