Tokyo, Japan, July 26, 2021: Edgar Cheung Ka-long became Hong Kong China’s first Olympic fencing gold medallist, and the first man to win a gold medal, beating the pre-match favourite and defending champion Italy’s Daniele Garozzo, 15-10, in the men’s foil individual final on Monday, July 26.
The victory by Cheung, a ‘handover baby’, earned Hong Kong a second-ever Olympic gold medal following Lee Lai-shan’s victory in the women’s windsurfing competition in Atlanta 1996.
“I beat an Olympic champion to become an Olympic champion,” Cheung said. “Before the draw was made, I knew I might meet him. I joked with my coach that if I could beat an Olympic champion, I should call myself an Olympic champion.”
Born on June 10, 1997, Cheung is a handover baby – coming into the world three weeks before Hong Kong was returned to Chinese rule by Britain. He is the first Hong Kong athlete to have the Chinese national anthem, March of the Volunteers, played on his behalf at the Olympics. When Lee Lai-shan won the city’s first gold in 1996, 11 months before the handover, she stood to God Save the Queen.
Cheung came into the bout as a clear underdog against Garozzo, looking to become the third athlete to win two Olympic gold medals in men’s foil individual.
The 24-year-old Cheung set the pace with the first hit early in the bout before his more esteemed opponent found some rhythm to open a 4-1 lead. But Cheung landed five consecutive hits to take a psychological two-point lead before Garozzo took a time out for medical attention for what appeared to be a thigh strain.
Cheung kept the pressure on and kept his head in front for the rest of the bout to claim a famous victory.
“If you work hard and do not give up, being an Olympic champion is not just a dream,” said Cheung, who will collect HK$5 million (US$643,000) for winning gold. “This medal came a bit fast. I never thought I could win a gold medal today; even a silver medal would have been a surprise.”
Winning at top level competition is nothing new for the world number 19, however. The left-handed Cheung was crowned Asian champion when he was 18. He has also won Hong Kong’s first fencing World Cup medal.
The Czech Republic’s Alexander Choupenitch won the bronze medal defeating Japan’s Takahiro Shikine 15-8.
