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Vivian Kong
Hong Kong fencer (born 1994) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Vivian Kong Man Wai MH (Chinese: 江旻憓; Jyutping: gong1 man4 wai6; born 8 February 1994) is a Hong Kong former left-handed épée fencer. A three-time individual Asian champion and three-time Olympian, she won gold in women's individual épée at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.[4][5][6]
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Early life
Kong was born in Hong Kong but lived in Canada between the ages of two and six.[7] Before taking up fencing, she variously forayed into ballet and taekwondo. She started fencing at the age of eleven and chose épée, stating it "combined the speed of taekwondo and the grace of ballet".[8]
Education
Kong completed her secondary studies at Sha Tin College and graduated from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Arts in international relations.[9] As of 2024, she is studying for a Juris Doctor degree at the Faculty of Law at The Chinese University of Hong Kong and aspires to work for the United Nations.[10] Kong has taken a sabbatical to prepare for the Olympics and had previously declined an offer to represent Canada.[8]
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Career
Kong competed in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games and the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. She became the first fencer from Hong Kong to win a World Cup title when she won the FIE Women's Épée World Cup in Havana, Cuba in January 2019.[11]
Kong won one of the bronze medals in the Women's épée at the 2022 World Fencing Championships held in Cairo, Egypt.[12]
In the women's épée event at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, Kong defeated Olena Kryvytska in the quarterfinals and Nelli Differt in the semifinals. In the finals, she overcame a 1–7 deficit against Auriane Mallo to win 13–12, securing Hong Kong's third-ever Olympic gold medal.[13] She was the first Hong Kong athlete to win a gold medal at the 2024 Olympics.[14]
On 4 August 2024, Kong announced on Instagram that she would retire from professional fencing and stated that she looks forward to pursuing a "new career".[15] On 6 August, a Facebook post by Raymond Tam announced that Kong would join the Hong Kong Jockey Club to promote sports development.[16]
Impact
Following Kong's and Cheung Ka Long's gold-medal victories at the 2024 Olympic Games, fencing schools in Hong Kong reported a significant increase in public interest.[17] This was predominantly driven by parents seeking opportunities for their children, though a portion of enquiries also came from adults.[18]
Medal record
Olympic Games
World Championship
Grand Prix
World Cup
Asian Championship
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References
External links
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