Hong Kong fencer Vivian Kong wins her second world cup title in a month
- Kong becomes world number two
- Now a big medal chance at the Tokyo Games
Kong, who just celebrated her 25th birthday on Friday, beat world No 20 Lee Hye-in of South Korea 15-13 in the women’s epee final to put herself on top of the podium.
She now stands a good chance of moving along the ladder to the world’s top spot as number one Mara Navarri of Italy was again not able to perform in Barcelona after falling in the round of 16.
Both fencers were exempted from the pool stage due to their world rankings and started in the round of 64, but the Italian, who is also the reigning world champion, was eliminated by Kelley Hurley of the United States in the knockout stage while Kong went all the way through to the final before removing the Korean for the title.
Zidaru led Kong to become the first fencer from Hong Kong to reach the second round at the Olympic Games in Rio two years ago.
But after those Games, Kong has made sufficient progress to put herself among the top fencers to challenge at the Tokyo Games. Her form has been on the rise lately, claiming a silver medal in the World Cup series in Tallin, Estonia three months ago after losing to veteran Jung Hyo-jung of South Korea. She then returned home for the Hong Kong Open where she won the gold medal after defeating China national team member Xiang Yixuan.
Kong said before her departure she had little concern about spending her birthday overseas, which she has been used to, as long as she could bring home a good result.