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Willa Wu

Behind every Olympic medal lies not just years of rigorous training, but also a meticulously planned diet.
From Hong Kong fencing queen Vivian Kong Man-wai’s vegan diet to the legendary Novak Djokovic’s strict chocolate intake, Olympic medallists’ relationships with food often attract public attention.
Their plates are a testament to discipline, showcasing how the quest for gold extends far beyond the arena and into every meal, snack and sip.
The Post takes a closer look at Olympic athletes’ diets and offers insights on how to eat like these world-class competitors.
Vivian Kong Man-wai

The 30-year-old épéeist, who won Hong Kong’s first medal in the event at the Paris Games, turned vegan after injuring her anterior cruciate ligament in 2017 – despite her family joking “no meat, no champion”.
She stuck to the strict vegan style while competing at the Tokyo Olympic Games and won the Asian Championships three times, before taking home her first Olympic gold medal, which was also Hong Kong’s first in Paris.
“Being vegan has changed my life. As an athlete, I’ve been able to recover so much faster from tough practice,” she said in a recent interview with the Great Vegan Athletes website.
“I have a bigger motivation to train really hard, keep my vegan lifestyle, and show that I am strong enough to be a professional athlete on a vegan diet.”
Kong has announced a break from her professional sporting career and will join the city’s Jockey Club to work for its external communications team.
Novak Djokovic
In his book Serve to Win, Serbian tennis legend Novak Djokovic, who has just won his first Olympic gold medal in singles at the Games, offered the public a glimpse of how disciplined he was.
He said the only thing he wanted after beating fellow tennis giant Rafael Nadal at the 2012 Australian Open finale was chocolate, which he had not tasted since the summer of 2010. But instead of taking in a whole bar as a reward to the almost-six-hour game, Djokovic popped only a tiny square into his mouth.


“That was all I would allow myself. That is what it has taken to get to No 1,” he wrote.
It is also reported that the new Olympic gold medallist once set an alarm on his phone to remind him that a year had passed since he last ate a piece of chocolate.
But in January this year, Djokovic confessed to the media that he had since had “plenty” of chocolate after the 2012 match with Nadal, given that he has a sweet tooth and was always trying to indulge in desserts, citing a vegan dessert he had a night before.
Zheng Qinwen

China’s first Olympic gold medallist in tennis had never tasted cola drinks before she was 12, as she has followed a strict diet instructed by her father, Zheng Jianping, who banned snacks and fizzy drinks while allowing only chicken and broccoli.
In an earlier interview, Zheng said she would have “simple” food before every match: vegetables and fruits, and chicken or fish served with plain rice or spaghetti, with only a bit of salt and olive oil.
Quan Hongchan
The rising diving darling, who took home two gold medals from the Paris Games, is a super fan of snacks, especially when she had to control her weight for the 10-metre event.
Quan said she once feared her coach Chen Ruolin very much because she was so afraid of being caught for having snacks.
“One time she discovered that I had gained a bit of weight, and she scolded me,” Quan said during the interview.
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Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Paris Olympics: gold winners Kong, Djokovic, Zheng, Quan on how to eat like champions

Champion Olympians have shown that the quest for gold extends far beyond the arena and into every meal, snack and sip. Photo: Shutterstock

Hong Kong’s first Paris gold medallist, fencer Vivian Kong, says being vegan has changed her life. Photo: AFP

China’s Zheng Qinwen did not drink cola drinks before she was 12, and has a diet that does not allow fizzy drinks. Photo AFP

Paris Olympics: China’s gold-medal queen Quan Hongchan excited for brother’s chicken

China’s Quan Hongchan kisses her gold medal after winning her third at the Olympics during the Paris Games. Photo: Reuters

China’s diving queen Quan Hongchan won two gold medals in Paris, on top of her first in Tokyo three years ago. Photo: Reuters

Fitness, strength, technique, strategy, how fencing benefits minds and bodies of all ages

Hong Kong fencing coach Lau Kwok-kin, a two-time Olympian. Photo: Hong Kong Fencing Master

With Hong Kong in the grip of fencing fever, Lau Kwok-kin, a two-time Olympian with a fencing school in the city, shares why it is good for the mind and body. Photo: Hong Kong Fencing Master

Hong Kong’s Vivian Kong (left) duels with France’s Auriane Mallo-Breton in the women’s épée individual gold medal match at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Photo: AFP

Lau Kwok-kin, a two-time fencing Olympian, is now a coach and runs his own fencing school in Hong Kong. Photo: Hong Kong Fencing Master

“Fencing presents a unique opportunity for individuals of all ages to unlock their full potential and embark on a fulfilling journey of self-discovery,” Lau says. Photo: Hong Kong Fencing Master

Young students learning the art of fencing at the Academy of Fencing (Hong Kong). Photo: May Tse

Paris Olympics: Chen Ruolin, coach behind Quan Hongchan, back in the limelight again

Chen Ruolin (left) received plaudits for wiping away the tears of China’s diving star Quan Hongchan after her second gold medal. Photo: Xinhua

Quan Hongchan (right) and her coach, Chen Ruolin, embrace after the star’s second Paris Olympics gold medal. Photo: Xinhua

Chen Ruolin on her way to winning the 10m platform diving event at the London 2012 Olympics. Photo: EPA

Zheng Qinwen’s Paris Olympics success down to tiger parenting, says disciplinarian father

Zheng Qinwen competes during the women’s singles gold medal match of tennis at the Paris Olympics. Photo: Xinhua

Qinwen Zheng (centre) shows off her gold medal alongside sliver medallist Donna Vekic (left) and Iga Swiatek, who won bronze. Photo: Reuters

Vegan vindication: Asian Games medallist’s switch to plant-based diet speeds recovery from serious injury, and boosts her training and results

Hong Kong fencer Vivian Kong had been thinking of turning vegan for years; a serious injury led her to adopt the diet, despite scepticism from athletes and her family. Suddenly she could train better, and in June she won gold at the Asian championships, then Asian Games bronze

Hong Kong fencer, Vivian Kong Man-wai, meets the media in Sha Tin before going to Indonesia for the Asian Games. 02AUG18 SCMP / Jonathan Wong [FEATURES HEALTH]

Fencing - 2018 Asian Games - Women's Epee Individual Final - JCC Cendrawasih, Jakarta, Indonesia - August 21, 2018. Silver medalist Sun Yiwen of China, gold medalist Kang Youngmi of South Korea and bronze medalists Man Wai Vivian Kong of Hong Kong and Choi Injeong of South Korea during the medal ceremony. REUTERS/Beawiharta

Hong Kong fencer Vivian Kong before departing for the Asian Games in Indonesia, where she won two medals. She credits a vegan diet for her improved training and performance. Photo: Chan Kin-wa

Sport

Paris Olympics 2024

The Buzz

From veganism, and ‘simple’ food to chocolates and snacks, the world’s best athletes share their consumption strengths and weaknesses


From veganism and ‘simple’ food to chocolates and snacks, the world’s best athletes share their consumption strengths and weaknesses.


Food and Drinks