top of page

Olympics-Fencing-Champion Kong still in a daze on Hong Kong return

Writer's picture: News Agency News Agency
Paris 2024 Olympics - Fencing - Women's Epee Individual Victory Ceremony - Grand Palais, Paris, France - July 27, 2024. Gold medalist Man Wai Vivian Kong of Hong Kong celebrates with her medal in the Women's Epee Fencing. /Maye-E Wong/File Photo
Paris 2024 Olympics - Fencing - Women's Epee Individual Victory Ceremony - Grand Palais, Paris, France - July 27, 2024. Gold medalist Man Wai Vivian Kong of Hong Kong celebrates with her medal in the Women's Epee Fencing. /Maye-E Wong/File Photo

HONG KONG/PARIS - Fresh off the plane from Paris on Thursday, Hong Kong's newly crowned Olympic fencing champion Vivian Kong was still immersed in her victory.


The 30-year-old won her first Olympic gold in a hard-earned epee final against local favourite Auriane Mallo-Breton.


"I'm still trying to process what just happened," a smiling Kong told reporters in the Hong Kong International Airport on Thursday. "I feel like I'm still in a dream, so I'll wake up first."


Kong, who recovered from a knee injury sustained only a month ago, rallied from 7-1 down to end her opponent’s hopes in front of a raucous crowd including French President Emmanuel Macron.


"I just didn’t want to lose so badly. I don’t think being at such a beautiful venue with the palace, with the purple piece, we've never fenced on the purple piece before, I wanted to fence my all, I didn’t want to have regrets like that," she said.


Kong started fencing at the age of 11 after trying a number of sports including athletics and taekwondo.


She made her Olympic debut in the Rio Games in 2016, becoming Hong Kong's first fencer to win a contest at the Games when she beat 2009 world champion, Russia's Lyubov Shutova.


In Tokyo, Kong finished fifth in the individual epee event and seventh in the team event.


Kong has charmed sports fans on social media with her friendly demeanour and range of interests outside fencing.


She obtained a bachelor's degree in international relations from Stanford University and is currently a law student at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.


Talking to reporters in Cantonese, English and Mandarin, Kong said she would use her prize money to buy gifts for her team, coach and roommate.


She is also going to set up charitable fund or social enterprise to help children.


"I really hope that there are more opportunities for everyone to be exposed to sports with a high barrier for entry. Even if they don't like fencing, there is gotta be one sport that kids will like. I hope everyone will have the opportunity to find their favourite sport," Kong said while blowing kisses to the crowd waving at her in the airport.


Next up for Kong is a skiing trip.


"I was always afraid of hurting my knees, but now I can think about maybe going for a little skiing," she said.

ComentĂĄrios


Top Stories

Advertise Now (1).png
BAFTA Awards 2025 Red Carpet | Emilia Perez, Anora, The Brutalist, Conclave, A Complete Unknown
02:51:42

BAFTA Awards 2025 Red Carpet | Emilia Perez, Anora, The Brutalist, Conclave, A Complete Unknown

Watch the 2025 BAFTA Awards live from London, UK! 🌟 Stars from top films like Anora, Conclave, Emilia Perez, and Gladiator II arrive on the red carpet. Enjoy exclusive interviews with nominees for Best Film, Outstanding British Film, and more. Don’t miss the glitz and glamour of British cinema’s biggest night! #BAFTA2025 #RedCarpet #BAFTAAwards #UKCinema #LiveStream #FilmAwards #BritishFilm #BAFTANominees #MovieStars #London BEST FILM Anora The Brutalist A Complete Unknown Conclave Emilia Perez OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM Bird Blitz Conclave Gladiator II Hard Truths Kneecap Lee Love Lies Bleeding The Outrun Wallace And Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER Hoard - Luna Carmoon (director/ writer) Kneecap - Rich Peppiatt (director, writer) Monkey Man - Dev Patel (director) Santosh - Sandhya Suri (director, writer), James Bowsher (producer), Balthazar de Ganay (producer) Sister Midnight - Karan Kandhari (director, writer) FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE All We Imagine As Light Emilia Perez I'm Still Here Kneecap The Seed Of The Sacred Fig DOCUMENTARY Black Box Diaries Daughters No Other Land Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story Will & Harper ANIMATED FILM Flow Inside Out 2 Wallace And Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl The Wild Robot CHILDREN'S & FAMILY FILM Flow Kensuke's Kingdom Wallace And Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl The Wild Robot DIRECTOR Anora - Sean Baker The Brutalist - Brady Corbet Conclave - Edward Berger Dune: Part Two - Denis Villeneuve Emilia Perez - Jacques Audiard The Substance - Coralie Fargeat LEADING ACTRESS Cynthia Erivo - Wicked Karla Sofia Gascon - Emilia Perez Marianne Jean-Baptiste - Hard Truths Mikey Madison - Anora Demi Moore - The Substance Saoirse Ronan - The Outrun LEADING ACTOR Adrien Brody - The Brutalist Timothee Chalamet - A Complete Unknown Colman Domingo - Sing Sing Ralph Fiennes - Conclave Hugh Grant - Heretic Sebastian Stan - The Apprentice SUPPORTING ACTRESS Selena Gomez - Emilia Perez Ariana Grande - Wicked Felicity Jones - The Brutalist Jamie Lee Curtis - The Last Showgirl Isabella Rossellini - Conclave Zoe Saldana - Emilia Perez SUPPORTING ACTOR Yura Borisov - Anora Kieran Culkin - A Real Pain Clarence Maclin - Sing Sing Edward Norton - A Complete Unknown Guy Pearce - The Brutalist Jeremy Strong - The Apprentice
BAFTA Awards 2025 Red Carpet | Emilia Perez, Anora, The Brutalist, Conclave, A Complete Unknown
02:51:08

BAFTA Awards 2025 Red Carpet | Emilia Perez, Anora, The Brutalist, Conclave, A Complete Unknown

Watch the 2025 BAFTA Awards live from London, UK! 🌟 Stars from top films like Anora, Conclave, Emilia Perez, and Gladiator II arrive on the red carpet. Enjoy exclusive interviews with nominees for Best Film, Outstanding British Film, and more. Don’t miss the glitz and glamour of British cinema’s biggest night! #BAFTA2025 #RedCarpet #BAFTAAwards #UKCinema #LiveStream #FilmAwards #BritishFilm #BAFTANominees #MovieStars #London BEST FILM Anora The Brutalist A Complete Unknown Conclave Emilia Perez OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM Bird Blitz Conclave Gladiator II Hard Truths Kneecap Lee Love Lies Bleeding The Outrun Wallace And Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER Hoard - Luna Carmoon (director/ writer) Kneecap - Rich Peppiatt (director, writer) Monkey Man - Dev Patel (director) Santosh - Sandhya Suri (director, writer), James Bowsher (producer), Balthazar de Ganay (producer) Sister Midnight - Karan Kandhari (director, writer) FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE All We Imagine As Light Emilia Perez I'm Still Here Kneecap The Seed Of The Sacred Fig DOCUMENTARY Black Box Diaries Daughters No Other Land Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story Will & Harper ANIMATED FILM Flow Inside Out 2 Wallace And Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl The Wild Robot CHILDREN'S & FAMILY FILM Flow Kensuke's Kingdom Wallace And Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl The Wild Robot DIRECTOR Anora - Sean Baker The Brutalist - Brady Corbet Conclave - Edward Berger Dune: Part Two - Denis Villeneuve Emilia Perez - Jacques Audiard The Substance - Coralie Fargeat LEADING ACTRESS Cynthia Erivo - Wicked Karla Sofia Gascon - Emilia Perez Marianne Jean-Baptiste - Hard Truths Mikey Madison - Anora Demi Moore - The Substance Saoirse Ronan - The Outrun LEADING ACTOR Adrien Brody - The Brutalist Timothee Chalamet - A Complete Unknown Colman Domingo - Sing Sing Ralph Fiennes - Conclave Hugh Grant - Heretic Sebastian Stan - The Apprentice SUPPORTING ACTRESS Selena Gomez - Emilia Perez Ariana Grande - Wicked Felicity Jones - The Brutalist Jamie Lee Curtis - The Last Showgirl Isabella Rossellini - Conclave Zoe Saldana - Emilia Perez SUPPORTING ACTOR Yura Borisov - Anora Kieran Culkin - A Real Pain Clarence Maclin - Sing Sing Edward Norton - A Complete Unknown Guy Pearce - The Brutalist Jeremy Strong - The Apprentice
9.png
Live Streams | Facts | Analysis | Explainers | Breaking News

Get in Touch

Manikondu Pvt Ltd
SY. 130P & 115/1P, ISB Rd
Financial District, Gachibowli
Hyderabad, India 500032
letstalk {at} amaravati (dot) today

Follow us on

  • X
  • LinkedIn
  • Youtube
  • Facebook
  • Instagram

© 2024 by Amaravati Today | Privacy Policy | Imprint & Dsiclaimer | CIN: U70200TS2024PTC184435

bottom of page