Hong Kong missed out on men’s foil team gold at the Kerry Fencing World Championships in agonizing fashion on Tuesday, losing 45-44 at the hands of Italy.
While the city’s team’s run to the finals at the AsiaWorld-Expo represented their best performance of the World Championships, eclipsing the bronze they won in Milan three years ago, the money was weighed down by disappointment.
Led by two-time Olympic champion Cheung Ka-long, 2025 world gold medalist Ryan Choi Chun-yin and 17-year-old Harris Ho Shing-him, Hong Kong comfortably beat Macau and Belgium, before beating Hungary 45-37 in their quarter-final.
Making it to the last eight with the United States 12 months ago, they avenged that defeat with a resounding 45-43 semi-final victory over the Americans, but they could not stop the Italians from retaining the title they won last year, throwing away the final where they led by eight points at one stage.
However, a collective effort made up for a string of individual disappointments on Saturday, when Cheung and Choi were both knocked out in the round of 16, and Ho fell at the first hurdle following a flawless play-off to reach the main draw.
More to follow…
