Edgar Cheung Ka-long (; born 10 June 1997) is a

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta i ...

left-handed foil fencer, two-time individual Asian champion, two-time

Olympian Olympian or Olympians may refer to: Religion * Twelve Olympians, the principal gods and goddesses in ancient Greek religion * Olympian spirits, spirits mentioned in books of ceremonial magic Fiction * ''Percy Jackson & the Olympians'', fiction ...

, and 2021 individual Olympic champion. Cheung is the first athlete representing Hong Kong in history to win an Olympic gold medal in fencing and the second to become an Olympic champion.

Career

Cheung Ka Long was born to parents who both played national league basketball in Hong Kong. He took up fencing in the fourth grade. In 2013, he was named Hong Kong's Most Promising Young Athlete at the

Hong Kong Sports Stars Awards Hong Kong Sports Stars Awards (Traditional Chinese characters, Traditional Chinese language, Chinese: 香港傑出運動員選舉) By virtue of the SF&OC’s input and effort, Hong Kong sports have gradually gained a high status in society. As an ...

. In 2014, he was named an Outstanding Junior Athlete by the Hong Kong Sports Institute; he won a bronze in team foil at the Asian Fencing Championships and at the

Asian Games The Asian Games, also known as Asiad, is a continental multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation (AGF) from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until th ...

that same year. In 2015, he earned two bronzes, one in individual foil and another in team foil during the Asian Fencing Championships. In 2016, he won gold and a bronze in team in the Asian Fencing Championships. At the

Olympics The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a var ...

in foil, he defeated

Heo Jun Heo Jun (허준, 1539 – 9 October 1615) was a Korean physician. He was the royal chief physician of '' Naeuiwon'' during the reign of King Seonjo and King Gwanghae of the Joseon Dynasty in Korea. Biography Heo Jun was born in 1539 to an affl ...

in the round of 32 before losing to

Guilherme Toldo Guilherme Toldo (born 1 September 1992) is a Brazilian fencer. At the 2016 Summer Olympics he competed in the Men's foil, but was defeated in the quarter final. He also competed in the 2012 Summer Olympics but was eliminated in the first roun ...

in the round of 16, finishing 14th overall. In 2017, Cheung won gold in individual foil at the Junior World Championships. He then earned a silver medal in individual foil and a bronze in team foil in the Asian Fencing Championships. In 2018, he won a silver in team foil at the Asian Fencing Championships along with a bronze in individual foil and a silver in team foil at the

. In 2019, he earned a silver medal in the Turin Grand Prix, a bronze in the Anaheim Grand Prix as well as a silver in individual foil and a bronze in team foil at the Asian Fencing Championships. In 2021 at the Tokyo Olympics, Cheung and Tse Ying Suet were the flag bearers for Hong Kong. In foil, he defeated Julien Mertine in the round of 32, 2018 world champion Alessio Foconi in the round of 16,

Kirill Borodachev Kirill Viktorovich Borodachev ( rus, Кирилл Викторович Бородачёв, , kʲɪˈrʲiɫ bərədɐˈtɕɵf), born 23 March 2000) is a Russian left-handed foil fencer and 2021 team Olympic silver medalist. He is a Russian Arme ...

in the quarterfinals and Alexander Choupenitch in the semifinals. In the final he faced the reigning Olympic champion

Daniele Garozzo Daniele Garozzo (; born 4 August 1992) is an Italian right-handed foil fencer. Garozzo is a 2022 team European champion, two-time individual European champion, and four-time team world champion. A two-time Olympian, Garozzo is a 2021 individ ...

; after trailing 1–4 he fought back to win by a score of 15–11. This was Hong Kong's first Olympic gold medal in fencing and its second-ever gold.

Medal Record

Olympic Games

World Championship

Asian Championship

Grand Prix

World Cup

Impact

The term "Ka-long effect" was coined after his historic gold in the Tokyo Olympics. Fencing schools witnessed a surge in calls from parents wanting their kids to take up lessons, as the sport received a huge boost in popularity.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Cheung, Ka Long 1997 births Asian Games bronze medalists for Hong Kong Asian Games medalists in fencing Asian Games silver medalists for Hong Kong Fencers at the 2014 Asian Games Fencers at the 2016 Summer Olympics Fencers at the 2018 Asian Games Fencers at the 2020 Summer Olympics Living people Medalists at the 2014 Asian Games Medalists at the 2018 Asian Games Medalists at the 2020 Summer Olympics Olympic fencers of Hong Kong Olympic gold medalists for Hong Kong Olympic medalists in fencing Hong Kong male foil fencers Left-handed fencers World Fencing Championships medalists