The Paris stage has long held a special place in the hearts of foil fencers competing in the FIE World Cup series, and stepping onto the podium here carries unique prestige. On Sunday, Hong Kong's men's foil team delivered a stunning upset, clinching the team gold medal by defeating the United States 45-38 in a dramatic final.
The victorious squad featured an all-left-handed lineup of Olympic champion Cheung Ka-long (張家朗), world No. 1 Choi Chun-yin Ryan (蔡俊彥), Cheng Tik-nam (鄭鐵男), and 18-year-old rising star Lam Ho-long (林浩朗). This victory marks the team's second World Cup team title, following their triumph at the 2024 Hong Kong station, and serves as a major boost in their quest for qualification to the team event at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
In the individual event on Saturday, Ryan Choi advanced impressively to the final, where he took silver after a hard-fought loss to American fencer Nick Itkin's teammate Chen Haoxiang (陳海翔). This result, combined with his earlier gold in the 2025/26 season, ensures Choi retains his position as the world No. 1.
For the team competition, head coach Gregory Koenig opted for a fresh combination to test the best possible lineup for Olympic qualification. Starting from the round of 32, Hong Kong dominated their early matches: a convincing 45-26 win over Qatar, followed by 45-30 against Poland. In the quarterfinals, they overcame a strong Russian team (competing as independent athletes) 45-34, and in the semifinals, they dispatched Japan 45-32 without major difficulty.
The final against the world No. 2 United States proved to be an intense battle. Ryan Choi opened against former world No. 1 Nick Itkin, falling behind early at 0-4 before fighting back to 2-5 after the first bout. Youngster Lam Ho-long then faced individual event winner Chen Haoxiang and battled valiantly, though the American pulled ahead to make it 4-10.
Cheung Ka-long entered next and narrowed the gap with a solid performance against Marcello Olivares, bringing the score to 12-15. Lam Ho-long then produced a breakout moment in the fourth bout, stunning Itkin with three consecutive touches and an 8-1 run to give Hong Kong their first lead at 20-16.
The Americans fought back, with Olivares leveling the match in the fifth bout against Choi (24-24 after a double-touch decision went Hong Kong's way). Cheung faced Chen Haoxiang in the sixth bout but lost 3-6, leaving the score at 28-30. Lam Ho-long kept the pressure on in the seventh, though he handed over at 33-35.
Cheung Ka-long then delivered a crucial eighth bout, outscoring Itkin 7-3 to reach 40-38. Ryan Choi closed out the match in the ninth bout—rematching Chen Haoxiang from the individual final—finishing strongly with a 5-0 run to seal the 45-38 victory.
This golden performance highlights the depth and resilience of Hong Kong's men's foil program, blending veteran stars with promising young talent, and positions the team strongly ahead of the Los Angeles Games.