Hong Kong fencer Vivian Kong can challenge for world number one spot after maiden World Cup success
- Vivian Kong becomes the first fencer from Hong Kong to break into the world’s top three after winning a women’s epee gold in Havana
- The top fencer faces a hectic schedule with 2020 Tokyo Olympics qualification due to begin in April
“I won’t think too much about it (becoming the world number one), just like I didn’t think if I would become the champion before going to Havana,” said Kong, who surged to third place in the world rankings after capturing her maiden epee World Cup series title after two runner-up medals and a third place.
Kong, who will turn 25 next month, said she always feared the top fencers before the Havana World Cup. “Perhaps I give them too much respect but now I know if I can really keep focused, just like what I did in Havana, I can overcome them,” she said. “But still I lack the physicality of those big stars but hopefully with more good results at the highest level, I would become one of them.”
Her coach, Octavian Zidaru from Romania, said Kong has the potential to climb the ladder to become world number one.
Top-ranked Mara Navarria is the reigning world champion. The 33-year-old Italian also competed in Havana but was eliminated in the quarter-finals while Romanian Ana Popescu finished in second place.
“The difference is very small (against the two top-ranking players),” said Zidaru, who led Kong to become the first fencer from Hong Kong to reach the second round at the Olympic Games in Rio two years ago.
The qualification period for the 2020 Olympics will begin in April but Kong has already endured a busy schedule in preparing for the campaign. She will leave for the Grand Prix in Doha next week before taking part in the next World Cup series in Barcelona in early February.
There are a total of five World Cup series legs and three Grands Prix before the regional and World Championships complete the season.
