Hong Kong fencer Cheung Ka-long ‘committed’ to Olympic defence in 2028, coach says
Greg Koenig confident he will keep Cheung ‘motivated during the next three years’
The mastermind behind Cheung Ka-long’s two Olympic gold medals has backed the Hong Kong fencer to stay at the top long enough to defend his foil title at the Los Angeles Games in three years’ time.
Greg Koenig, head coach of the city’s foil team, said that “unless something unexpected happens” Cheung was “committed to the [next Olympic] cycle”.
“We are working on finding the good balance between training and pleasure to be able to commit to another Olympics … he will defend his title,” Koenig said.
“But the next Olympics is still very far. As I said [before], I’ll do my best to keep him motivated during the next three years.”
An underdog in Tokyo in 2021 before defying all odds in Paris last summer to become only the third men’s foilist to defend his Olympic title, Cheung has been “feeling better and better” as the current season progresses, Koenig said.
On Saturday, however, Cheung was eliminated in the quarter-finals at the World Cup leg in Vancouver, losing 15-14 to Davide Filippi of Italy after earlier defeating another Italian, Tommaso Martini.