Hong Kong fencer (born 1994)
In this
Hong Kong name , the
surname is
Kong . In accordance with Hong Kong custom, the Western-style name is Vivian Kong and the Chinese-style name is Kong Man-wai.
Vivian Kong Man-wai
Kong in 2024 with her Olympic gold medal
Nickname Smiling Queen of Fencing (微笑劍后 )[ 1] [ 2] [ 3] Born (1994-02-08 ) 8 February 1994 (age 30) Hong Kong Weight 66 kg (146 lb) Sport Fencing Event Épée Turned pro 2013 Coached by Octavian Zidaru
Vivian Kong Man Wai MH (Chinese : 江旻憓 ; Jyutping : gong1 man4 wai6 ; born 8 February 1994) is a Hong Kong 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]
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]
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
Year
Location
Event
Position
2024
Paris , France
Individual Women's Épée
1st[ 19]
World Championship
Grand Prix
World Cup
Date
Location
Event
Position
2014-07-02
Leipzig , Germany
Individual Women's Épée
3rd[ 26]
2016-05-20
Legnano , Italy
Individual Women's Épée
3rd[ 27]
2018-01-19
Havana , Cuba
Individual Women's Épée
3rd[ 28]
2018-09-11
Tallinn , Estonia
Individual Women's Épée
2nd[ 29]
2019-11-01
Havana , Cuba
Individual Women's Épée
1st[ 30]
2019-08-02
Barcelona , Spain
Individual Women's Épée
1st[ 31]
2019-05-17
Dubai , United Arab Emirates
Individual Women's Épée
3rd[ 32]
2022-12-10
Vancouver , Canada
Individual Women's Épée
2nd[ 33]
2023-05-19
Fujairah , United Arab Emirates
Individual Women's Épée
2nd[ 25]
2024-02-10
Barcelona , Spain
Individual Women's Épée
1st[ 25]
2024-05-18
Fujairah , United Arab Emirates
Individual Women's Épée
1st[ 34]
Asian Championship
Year
Location
Event
Position
2011
Seoul , South Korea
Team Women's Épée
3rd
2014
Suwon , South Korea
Team Women's Épée
3rd[ 35]
2015
Singapore
Team Women's Épée
3rd
2016
Wuxi , China
Team Women's Épée
3rd[ 36]
2017
Hong Kong
Individual Women's Épée
2nd[ 37]
2017
Hong Kong
Team Women's Épée
3rd[ 37]
2018
Bangkok , Thailand
Individual Women's Épée
1st[ 38]
2018
Bangkok , Thailand
Team Women's Épée
2nd[ 39]
2019
Chiba , Japan
Team Women's Épée
3rd[ 40]
2022
Seoul , South Korea
Individual Women's Épée
1st[ 41]
2022
Seoul , South Korea
Team Women's Épée
2nd[ 42]
2023
Wuxi , China
Individual Women's Épée
1st[ 43]
2023
Wuxi , China
Team Women's Épée
2nd[ 43]
References
External links