Wikipedia

Cheung Ka Long

In this Hong Kong name, the surname is Cheung. In accordance with Hong Kong custom, the Western-style name is Edgar Cheung and the Chinese-style name is Cheung Ka-long.

Edgar Cheung Ka-long (Chinese: 張家朗; Jyutping: zoeng1 gaa1 long5; born 10 June 1997) is a Hong Kong left-handed foil fencer, two-time individual Asian champion, two-time Olympian, and 2021 individual Olympic champion.[1]

Edgar Cheung Ka-long
張家朗
Cheung in 2016
Personal information
Born (1997-06-10) 10 June 1997 (age 26)
Hong Kong
Height193 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Weight68 kg (150 lb)
Sport
CountryHong Kong
SportFencing
WeaponFoil
HandLeft-handed
ClubHong Kong Sports Institute
Head coachGrégory Koenig
FIE rankingcurrent ranking
Domestic ranking1
Medal record
Men's foil
Representing  Hong Kong
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2020 Tokyo Individual
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Cairo Individual
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Milan Team
Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 2022 Hangzhou Individual
Silver medal – second place 2018 Jakarta Team
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Incheon Team
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Jakarta Individual
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Hangzhou Team
Asian Championships
Gold medal – first place 2016 Wuxi Individual
Gold medal – first place 2022 Seoul Individual
Silver medal – second place 2017 Hong Kong Individual
Silver medal – second place 2018 Bangkok Team
Silver medal – second place 2019 Chiba Individual
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Suwon Team
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Singapore Individual
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Singapore Team
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Wuxi Team
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Hong Kong Team
Bronze medal – third place 2019 Chiba Team
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Seoul Team
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Wuxi Team
Junior World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2017 Plovdiv Individual
Cheung Ka-long
Traditional Chinese張家朗

Cheung is the first athlete representing Hong Kong in history to win an Olympic gold medal in fencing and the second to become an Olympic champion.[2][3]


He is also the first Hong Kong fencer to win a gold medal.

Career edit

Cheung Ka Long was born to parents who both played national league basketball in Hong Kong. He took up fencing in the fourth grade. In 2013, he was named Hong Kong's Most Promising Young Athlete at the Hong Kong Sports Stars Awards. In 2014, he was named an Outstanding Junior Athlete by the Hong Kong Sports Institute;[4] he won a bronze in team foil at the Asian Fencing Championships and at the Asian Games that same year. In 2015, he earned two bronzes, one in individual foil and another in team foil during the Asian Fencing Championships. In 2016, he won gold and a bronze in team in the Asian Fencing Championships. At the Olympics in foil, he defeated Heo Jun in the round of 32 before losing to Guilherme Toldo in the round of 16, finishing 14th overall.[5] In 2017, Cheung won gold in individual foil at the Junior World Championships.[6] He then earned a silver medal in individual foil and a bronze in team foil in the Asian Fencing Championships. In 2018, he won a silver in team foil at the Asian Fencing Championships along with a bronze in individual foil and a silver in team foil at the Asian Games. In 2019, he earned a silver medal in the Turin Grand Prix, a bronze in the Anaheim Grand Prix as well as a silver in individual foil and a bronze in team foil at the Asian Fencing Championships.

In 2021 at the Tokyo Olympics, Cheung and Tse Ying Suet were the flag bearers for Hong Kong.[7] In foil, he defeated Julien Mertine in the round of 32, 2018 world champion Alessio Foconi in the round of 16, Kirill Borodachev in the quarterfinals and Alexander Choupenitch in the semifinals. In the final he faced the reigning Olympic champion Daniele Garozzo; after trailing 1–4 he fought back to win by a score of 15–11.[8][9] This was Hong Kong's first Olympic gold medal in fencing and its second-ever gold.[10]

Medal record edit

Olympic Games edit

Year Location Event Position
2021   Tokyo, Japan Individual Men's Foil 1st[11]

World Championship edit

Year Location Event Position
2022   Cairo, Egypt Individual Men's Foil 3rd[12]
2023   Milan, Italy Team Men's Foil 3rd

Asian Championship edit

Year Location Event Position
2014   Suwon, South Korea Team Men's Foil 3rd[13]
2015   Singapore Individual Men's Foil 3rd[14]
2015   Singapore Team Men's Foil 3rd[15]
2016   Wuxi, China Individual Men's Foil 1st[16]
2017   Hong Kong Individual Men's Foil 2nd[17]
2017   Hong Kong Team Men's Foil 3rd[18]
2018   Bangkok, Thailand Team Men's Foil 2nd[19]
2019   Tokyo, Japan Individual Men's Foil 2nd[20]
2019   Tokyo, Japan Team Men's Foil 3rd[21]
2022   Seoul, South Korea Individual Men's Foil 1st[22]
2022   Seoul, South Korea Team Men's Foil 3rd[23]
2023   Wuxi, China Team Men's Foil 3rd[24]

Grand Prix edit

Date Location Event Position
2019-02-08   Turin, Italy Individual Men's Foil 2nd[25]
2019-03-15   Anaheim, California Individual Men's Foil 3rd[26]
2023-03-19   Busan, South Korea Individual Men's Foil 2nd[27]
2024-02-11   Turin, Italy Individual Men's Foil 1st[28]

World Cup edit

Date Location Event Position
2017-05-05   St. Petersburg, Russia Individual Men's Foil 3rd[29]
2017-10-20   Le Caire, Egypt Individual Men's Foil 3rd[30]
2019-05-05   St. Petersburg, Russia Team Men's Foil 2nd[31]
2020-02-23   Cairo, Egypt Team Men's Foil 3rd[32]
2022-01-15   Paris, France Individual Men's Foil 1st[33]
2023-01-12   Paris, France Individual Men's Foil 3rd
2023-05-06   Acapulco, Mexico Individual Men's Foil 2nd
2023-11-10   Istanbul, Turkey Individual Men's Foil 2nd

Impact edit

The term "Ka-long effect" was coined after his historic gold in the Tokyo Olympics. Fencing schools witnessed a surge in calls from parents wanting their kids to take up lessons, as the sport received a huge boost in popularity.[34]

References edit

  1. ^ "INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website". INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  2. ^ "Cheung Ka Long wins historic gold medal for Hong Kong with a victory in men's individual foil | NBC Olympics". www.nbcolympics.com. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  3. ^ "Olympics-Fencing-Hong Kong's Cheung claims gold in men's foil". Reuters. 26 July 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  4. ^ "Cheung Ka Long". International Fencing Federation. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  5. ^ "Ka Long Cheung". rio2016.com. Archived from the original on 6 August 2016. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
  6. ^ Chan, Kin-wa (8 April 2017). "Hong Kong's Cheung Ka-long claims gold at world junior fencing championships". South China Morning Post. p. 4.
  7. ^ "Badminton's Tse and fencer Cheung to carry SAR flag". RTHK. 9 July 2021.
  8. ^ Siu, Phila. "Hong Kong foil fencer Cheung Ka-long wins Olympic gold". Young Post, SCMP. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  9. ^ Ho, Kelly (26 July 2021). "BREAKING: Hong Kong men's foil fencer Edgar Cheung bags historic gold medal at Tokyo Olympics". Hong Kong Free Press. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  10. ^ Shum, Michael (27 July 2021). "Unstoppable Cheung's stab at Games glory". The Standard. Archived from the original on 26 July 2021. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  11. ^ "INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website". INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  12. ^ "INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website". INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  13. ^ "INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website". INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  14. ^ "INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website". INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  15. ^ "INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website". INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  16. ^ "INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website". INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  17. ^ "INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website". INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  18. ^ "INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website". INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  19. ^ "INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website". INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  20. ^ "INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website". INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  21. ^ "INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website". INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  22. ^ "INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website". INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  23. ^ "INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website". INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  24. ^ "INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website". INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  25. ^ "INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website". INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  26. ^ "INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website". INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  27. ^ "Busan Foil Grand Prix Senior Men's Foil". fencingtimelive. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  28. ^ "Turin - GPFIE "Trofeo Inalpi" 2024". engarde-service. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  29. ^ "INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website". INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  30. ^ "INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website". INTERNATIONAL FENCING FEDERATION – The International Fencing Federation official website. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  31. ^ "Historic Team Medal at Men's Foil World Cup". HKSI. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  32. ^ "【男子花劍世界盃．埃及直擊】張家朗6分鐘狂追27分 港隊絕殺法國奪銅". Sportsroad. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  33. ^ "HK's Cheung Ka-long wins fencing World Cup gold". RTHK. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  34. ^ "The 'Ka-long effect': Hongkongers rush for fencing lessons following historic Olympic win". Hong Kong Free Press. 27 July 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2021.

External links edit

 
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