Hong Kong coach Greg Koenig has revealed that Ryan Choi Chun-yin faces a race to recover from a hamstring injury ahead of next month’s World Fencing Championships on home soil.
The world No. 2 was nursing a hamstring injury at the Asian Fencing Championships in New Delhi, where the Hong Kong men’s team finished second after losing 45-39 to Japan in the final on Wednesday.
Speaking to the South China Morning Post, head coach Koenig admitted to having mixed feelings about the team’s performance in the event, but insisted that “nothing has changed” in terms of trying to reach the world’s best, with the ultimate goal of qualifying for the Los Angeles Olympics.
“It’s sad because I really believe we had what it takes to win gold,” the 47-year-old Frenchman said.
“However, given the circumstances – Ryan injured and Harris (Ho Shing-him) suffering from food poisoning – I am very proud of this amazing team, including Lam Ho-long, who played an important role and helped the team throughout the tournament,” Koenig said.
The team returns home after a six-day tournament in India, and Koenig said they would take care of Choi’s injury to ensure the 28-year-old left-hander will be fit before the world championships at the AsiaWorld-Expo from July 22 to 30.
