Young Hong Kong fencers in Shanghai battle to make teams for Asian, World championships
Coach Greg Koenig admits having to select from a squad including Leung Chin-yu, Cheng Tit-nam and Lam Ho-long is ‘a happy problem’ to have
Hong Kong fencing squad members and those on the fringes of teams have one last chance on the mainland this week to make the cut for two major tournaments.
The Shanghai Grand Prix, the last event of the regular season, will help coaches decide who makes the cut for next month’s Asian Fencing Championships in India and the World Fencing Championships in Hong Kong in July.
Only those with a top four Hong Kong ranking will represent the city, and in the men’s foil team there is just one place up for grabs.
World champion and world No 1 Ryan Choi Chun-yin, two-time Olympic gold medallist Cheung Ka-long and teenager Harris Ho Shing-him, who was crowned the cadet world champion in April, are locked in or near certainties for selection.
That leaves three young fencers in contention to join them. Leung Chin-yu currently holds a slight advantage over 2022 cadet world champion Cheng Tit-nam and current junior world champion Lam Ho-long.
All three, alongside nine others, will be among a 12-strong list competing in Shanghai. Lawrence Ng Lok-wang, part of the National Games-winning team, is further down the rankings, in seventh place.