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Mike Chan

Fencer Cheung Ka-long will target a third straight Olympic gold medal after committing himself to the Los Angeles Games in 2028.
Greg Koenig, who has been Hong Kong’s foil head coach since 2018, said his task was to motivate Cheung over the next four years to emulate Hungarian Aron Szilagyi, who was a three-time Olympic champion in the sabre from London to Tokyo.
However, Koenig himself also had another, “more important” goal.
“That would be to qualify the team, as we did in Tokyo,” he said. “This means we will have three different individual fencers, plus a number four to make it a team.
“But if we don’t qualify as a team, only one can go to the Olympics. And with the new, young and talented fencers we have in Hong Kong, I cannot predict what will happen.”
Two-time Olympic champion Cheung, who will be 31 when the cauldron is lit at the SoFi Stadium in the Los Angeles suburb of Inglewood on July 14, 2028, is missing an obvious piece in his collection of titles.

Hong Kong’s golden hero has Asian Games, Asian Championships, World University Games and a host of FIE World Cup and Grand Prix titles to his name, but Koenig believes a world championship gold medal would be an “amazing” addition to the 27-year-old’s list.
“In the near term, nothing else matters other than becoming world champion,” the Frenchman said of Cheung, who won bronze in Cairo in 2022.
“So of course this will be a very precious goal that will help me to keep him focused before the next Olympics.”
The world championships will be held in Tbilisi, Georgia next year, most likely in July.
“[But first] he needs to recover physically and mostly psychologically because four years is very long; we’ll have some different targets with the National Games, Asian Games and then the Olympics, taking it step by step,” Koenig said.
Ranked as high as world No 27 and a member of a European champion team in his competitive days, Koenig said his pupil was “of course a better fencer than me”.
“He’s a better fencer than everybody in the world,” the 46-year-old from Paris said. “Two Olympic gold medals – it has happened only twice in men’s foil with Nedo Nadi and Christian d’Oriola.
“Ka-long is now in the Pantheon, he’s in the top, top gold list of the MVP player in the world every time … My goal will be now to … In French we say, les pieds sur terre, means to keep his foot on earth. Even if he is one of the greatest athletes in our sport, we still have many things to achieve.”
The experienced coach said he will not be “speaking about Los Angeles or the Olympics to Ka-long for many, many months and maybe some years”.
Ranked No 1 in the world again after his victory at the Grand Palais in July, Cheung knew “absolutely everything technically”, Koenig said, but the Frenchman was adamant the psychological aspects of an athlete were the most important.
That kind of knowledge was not taught in the coaching diploma he did in France, but Koenig said he brushed up his psychology skills as “an interest” from his playing days.
“It came with experience but it was also something I had been interested in since I was an athlete,” he said. “So I used my experience to figure out my athletes, I put them in the same mindset and condition I had for them to feel the same way during their competition.
“This was something I learned by self-watching, videos at the competitions and many other coaches when I was younger.”
He added: “On D-Day or in the money time of a competition, the psychological condition is surely the most important. One needs to be in a good mindset to be able to use the best technical skills at that moment.
“If you arrive at the Olympics with doubt, you will be scared to try something, but you will touch if you do it with 100 per cent confidence.”

Koenig added that, unlike France and Russia, countries that have larger populations of fencers, Hong Kong could not adopt the one-way-fits-all training programme as the city might lose a talent or two.
“We don’t have as many fencers so if I lose one guy because he doesn’t understand what I want, there’s no one to replace him yet,” he said. “Fortunately, fencing in Hong Kong is becoming something very popular.
“I have an amazing young team coming [through] and I’m pretty sure in the next six to 10 years we’ll have an amazing group of young and strong people.
“But for now, I have to individualise – I don’t give a guideline that everybody follows, I adjust depending on the psychology and the mentality of every athlete.”


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Hong Kong fencer Cheung Ka-long reveals secret to success in epic Olympic gold medal bout

Cheung Ka-long’s coach says their father-son relationship key to double Olympic success

Cheung Ka-long aims for Olympic gold again at Los Angeles 2028 – but a world title first

Fencing

Hong Kong’s Cheung Ka-long celebrates winning his second Olympic gold, in Paris. Photo: AP

Hong Kong coach Greg Koenig (left) hopes to guide Cheung Ka-long to another gold medal at Los Angeles 2028. Photo: Handout

Greg Koenig says he has been working on his psychology skills since his competitive days. Photo: Mike Chan

Olympic hero Cheung Ka-long defines ‘Hong Kong spirit’ as ‘keep going, keep fighting’

Cheung Ka-long (left) and Cedric Ho were welcomed by about 100 people at Hong Kong International Airport’s arrival hall. Photo: Sam Tsang

Cheung Ka-long says the first item on his to-do list after returning home is to pick up some good local food. Photo: Sam Tsang

Fans prepare a digital signboard for the returning Olympics hero. Photo: Sam Tsang

‘Pineapple belongs on pizza’: Italy vs Hong Kong Instagram war after Cheung’s gold medal

Cheung Ka-long’s victory over Filippo Macchi led to a bitter feud between Italian and Hong Kong users on Instagram

Hongkongers’ memes hit Italy where it hurts. Photo: Instagram/cheungkalonggggg

Italians and Hongkongers at loggerheads on social media after the bitter gold medal bout. Photo: Instagram/cheungkalonggggg

Pineapple on pizza is considered one of the biggest faux pas in Italian cooking. Photo: Instagram/cheungkalonggggg

Italian Instagram users express their displeasure at Cheung Ka-long’s victory. Photo: Instagram/cheungkalonggggg

Paris Olympics: Cheung Ka-long ‘can’t believe’ second gold – but may chase a third in 2028

Cheung Ka-long is ecstatic as he clinches gold in Paris. Photo: AFP

Hong Kong’s Cheung Ka-long is mobbed after defending the Olympic men’s foil crown. Photo: AFP

The now double Olympic gold medallist Cheung Ka-long with his coach Greg Koenig. Photo: Handout

Paris Olympics: who is Cheung Ka-long? Stunning rise of Hong Kong’s double gold medallist

Cheung Ka-long offers his trademark tongue-out celebration after winning his Olympic semi-final at the Grand Palais in Paris. Photo: EPA-EFE

Cheung Ka-long takes a moment to savour his achievement after retaining his Olympic crown. Photo: EPA-EFE

Victory is assured as Cheung Ka-long (right) celebrates scoring the decisive point in Paris. Photo: EPA-EFE

Filippo Macchi of Italy (left) tries to attack Cheung Ka-long during Monday’s foil final. Photo: EPA-EFE

Cheung Ka-long’s role in Paris Olympics ceremony a good omen in Hongkonger’s history bid

Hong Kong’s Olympic flag bearer Cheung Ka-long is looking to make history in Paris and defend his title. Photo: Elson Li

Cheung Ka-long (right) was asked only one question by Greg Koenig about carrying the flag. Photo: Handout

Hong Kong’s Olympic delegation leaves the city en route to Paris for the 2024 Olympic Games. Photo: Sam Tsang

Sport

Hong Kong

Paris Olympics 2024

Hong Kong fencing coach Koenig says two-time Games foil champion aims to emulate Hungary’s Aron Szilagyi, who won three straight golds


Hong Kong fencing coach Koenig says two-time Games foil champion aims to emulate Hungary’s Aron Szilagyi, who won three straight golds.


Olympics