HK reps fall short of gold as they fall to World No.1 Italy at the Fencing World Championships 2026

The Hong Kong men's foil team—represented by Edgar Cheung Ka-long, Ryan Choi Chun-yin, Leung Chin-yu, and Harris Ho Shing-him—put up a monumental fight but ultimately fell just short of gold against world number one Italy, losing 45-44 at the Fencing World Championships 2026.

Edgar Cheung Ka-long gives Hong Kong early lead

Edgar Cheung Ka-long opened the gold medal match by going head-to-head with world number three Guillaume Bianchi. After a tense, back-and-forth exchange, Cheung secured a narrow victory to give Hong Kong an early one-point lead.

Ryan Choi Chun-yin then stepped up to face Filippo Macchi, battling to a hard-fought draw that allowed Hong Kong to maintain its slim lead.

In the third bout, World Cadet Champion Harris Ho Shing-him showed immense composure against world number nine Tommaso Marini, securing a close win and widening Hong Kong's overall lead.

Rematch of Olympic rivals extends advantage

The fourth bout featured a highly anticipated rematch of the 2024 Paris Olympics individual final, with Edgar Cheung dominating Filippo Macchi in a swift victory that extended Hong Kong's lead. 

Harris Ho kept the momentum going in the fifth, holding off a strong comeback attempt from Italy's top-ranked Guillaume Bianchi to win his bout and keep Hong Kong firmly in control.

Although Italy’s Tommaso Marini managed to narrowly outscore Ryan Choi in the sixth round, Hong Kong maintained a comfortable five-point cushion heading into the final stages of the match.

Dramatic review and a nail-biting final touch

High drama unfolded in the seventh bout when Filippo Macchi paused the match to complain about an equipment issue while leading Harris Ho. 

Following a technical check, Ho fought back to level the score. 

When both fencers landed simultaneous touches, the referee reviewed video footage and ruled that Macchi had retreated, awarding the point to Hong Kong. Ho won the bout to protect the lead.

In the penultimate round, Edgar Cheung fought through a tough scoring run by Tommaso Marini to steady the team, leaving Hong Kong with a four-point advantage before the final bout.

In the high-stakes anchor leg, Ryan Choi Chun-yin fought Guillaume Bianchi all the way to a dramatic tie. 

With the championship on the line at a sudden-death deadlock of 44-44, Bianchi managed to land the final touch, handing Italy a heartbreaking 45-44 comeback victory.

(Updated at 8.54pm)

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