Hong Kong foil fencer Ryan Choi Chun-yin, Hong Kong’s newly crowned world champion in fencing, returned home triumphantly on Monday after his stunning victory at the Fencing World Championships, which also propelled him to the world No. 1 ranking.
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT
Stepping out of the airport arrivals hall, the 27-year-old was greeted by a crowd of reporters and supporters. Holding his gold medal in one hand and a bouquet of flowers in the other, Choi paused for photos, visibly moved by the warm welcome.
+7
A journey of perseverance
Choi reflected on his challenging career path, admitting he had often struggled with frustration and setbacks.
"There were many bottlenecks in my fencing journey," he said. "I used to feel cynical, like things were unfair—I never felt truly satisfied."
But his world championship win changed everything. "For the first time, I feel like fate is being kind to me. I’m truly grateful."
The victory marked a stunning turnaround for Choi, who had previously fallen short in major competitions by narrow margins.
"In the past, I lost crucial bouts by just one point. But this time, everything aligned perfectly," he said.
Breaking the mold
His unconventional fencing style—featuring dynamic footwork and jumps—has often been questioned.
"People said my technique wouldn’t succeed and that past world No. 1s didn’t fence like me," he said. "But this proves that with hard work, you can break traditions and still reach the top."
Praise for teammate Edgar Cheung
Despite his rise, Choi remained humble, acknowledging teammate Edgar Cheung Ka-long—Hong Kong’s two-time Olympic medalist—as the stronger fencer.
"Ka-long is still the best," he said. "After his Olympic wins, he needed time to recover, especially with his injuries. But once he’s back at full strength, our team will be even stronger."
He plans to rest after an exhausting three-tournament streak. "I didn’t expect to win three straight events and jump from No. 32 to No. 1—it’s every athlete’s dream," he said with a smile.
