Hong Kong Men’s Foil Team Claims Historic Silver at World Championships, Rises to World No. 2

The Hong Kong men’s foil team delivered a landmark performance at the FIE World Fencing Championships, capturing the team’s first-ever World Championship silver medal after a dramatic final against Italy.

Competing on home soil at the AsiaWorld-Expo, the Hong Kong squad — featuring Olympic double gold medallist Edgar Cheung Ka-long, former world champion Ryan Choi Chun-yin, 17-year-old world junior champion He Cheng-him, and rising star Leung Chin-yu — fought their way into the final. They led for much of the match against world No. 1 Italy before falling short by a single point, 44-45, after nine intense bouts.

Cheung opened the match with a solid 5-4 win, while Choi held his own in a tightly contested bout. The 17-year-old He Cheng-him impressed with aggressive and agile fencing, helping Hong Kong build a lead. Cheung extended the advantage further, and the team maintained strong momentum until the final bout, where Choi bravely saved a match point before ultimately falling short.

After the match, Choi apologised to the crowd, but Cheung immediately reassured him: “There’s no need to say sorry. We’re a team — we face everything together.” Cheung later praised his teammates’ outstanding performances and highlighted the heavy responsibility of fencing in the final relay.

The silver medal marks Hong Kong’s sixth medal in FIE World Championship history and its first team silver. It follows a strong season that included gold in Paris, silver in Cairo, and bronze in Turkey at World Cup events, as well as a silver at the Asian Championships.

In the latest FIE world rankings released after the tournament, the Hong Kong men’s foil team climbed one place to world No. 2, trailing only Italy. This is the highest ranking in the team’s history and strengthens their position as Asia’s top foil team.

The result is particularly significant for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic cycle. Teams ranked in the top four are expected to secure direct qualification for the Olympic team event, while also securing individual berths for three fencers. The achievement therefore provides a strong foundation for Hong Kong’s Olympic ambitions.

Team members expressed deep gratitude for the passionate support from Hong Kong fans throughout the competition.