113 Years Later, Czech Republic Wins an Olympic Medal in Fencing

Hong Kong’s top male fencer Cheung Ka-long has claimed gold at the Tokyo Olympic Games – after defeating the reigning Olympic champion, Daniele Garozzo of Italy, 15-11 in a nail-biting final of the men’s individual foil.

His gold is Hong Kong’s first medal in the sport, second-ever gold, and fourth Olympics medal in history.

Choupenitch’s Career

Choupenitch won his first international distinction in 2011 with a gold medal at the Cadet European Championships in Klagenfurt and a bronze medal in the Cadet World Championships at the Dead Sea. As a junior, he earned the silver medal in the 2012 Junior World Championships in Poreč and won the Junior World Cup the same year.

The next season, he took the silver medal in the Junior European Championships in Budapest and a bronze medal in the World Championships in Poreč; he also finished first of the Junior World Cup for the second year in a row.

He won in 2014 the Junior European Championships in Jerusalem and earned a silver medal in the Junior World Championships in Plovdiv after losing the final to China’s Chen Haiwei.

In 2016, after the successful Grand Prix in Havana, he qualified for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. During his Olympic debut, he had a free draw in the first round, in the second he lost to the defending silver medalist Alaaeldin Abouelkassem.

In June 2018, he won a bronze medal at the European Championships in Novi Sad, when he lost to the Olympic winner and defending champion of the European title, Daniele Garozzo of Italy.