Hong Kong men's foil team wins historic first fencing gold at national games

Thursday 20 November 2025 - 13:20

By: Dakir Madiha

Hong Kong men's foil team wins historic first fencing gold at national games

Hong Kong's men's foil team made history by capturing the territory's first gold medal in fencing at the National Games. They triumphed over top-seeded Fujian with a decisive 45-34 victory at Kai Tak Arena, energized by a supportive home crowd.

The team, comprising Edgar Cheung Ka-long, Ryan Choi Chun-yin, Leung Chin-yu, and Lawrence Ng Lok-wang, secured Hong Kong's ninth gold at China's 15th National Games—the territory's highest ever tally at the event. This win brought a measure of redemption for Cheung and Choi, who had both been defeated by Fujian's Xu Jie during the individual foil event earlier in the competition.

Hong Kong began their run by defeating Zhejiang 45-38 in the quarterfinals and followed with a commanding 45-30 victory over Jiangsu in the semifinals, setting the stage for the final showdown. After five bouts, the team held a 25-21 advantage, with reigning world champion Ryan Choi breaking away in the sixth bout with a 5-2 run against Chen Weiquan. Head coach Greg Koenig credited Lawrence Ng for his steady performance in the team's opening match, which helped them find their rhythm in a challenging start.

The formidable squad is built on elite credentials. Edgar Cheung, often hailed as “the fencing god” in Hong Kong, made history by becoming only the third man to defend an Olympic foil title with his gold wins at the 2020 Tokyo and 2024 Paris Games. Ryan Choi also made territory history by becoming Hong Kong’s first world fencing champion at the World Championships held in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law, present for the victory, lauded the team’s exceptional performance and praised their ascent to the top podium, energized by support from the home fans. The National Games, co-hosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao, run through November 21.