Fencing gold medallist Edgar Cheung Ka-long said Hong Kong had gone ‘insane’ after he won the Chinese territoryтАЩs first Olympic gold in 25 years and only its second ever.
The 24-year-old stunned ItalyтАЩs reigning Olympic champion Daniele Garozzo 15-11 in the final of the menтАЩs foil at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Games.
Hong KongтАЩs only previous Olympic gold came at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, when Lee Lai-shan won a gold medal in windsurfing.
Cheung might have appeared calm in victory but he said he was anything but.
тАЬTo be honest, IтАЩm not that calm, I donтАЩt know what I can do,” he said after claiming gold on Monday.
тАЬItтАЩs like a dream тАФ thatтАЩs why everyone thinks IтАЩm calm, but I didnтАЩt know what happened.”
Aside from the two gold medals, Hong KongтАЩs only other previous Olympic medals were silver in 2004 at Athens in table tennis and a bronze in cycling at London 2012.
тАЬThe reaction in Hong Kong has been insane,” said Cheung, who is reportedly in line to pocket five million Hong Kong dollars ($600,000) from the cityтАЩs government as a reward.
тАЬBecause in total medals in Hong Kong, we only have three. Now we have four because we havenтАЩt had a gold medal since 1996 so it means a lot to show to the world we can do it,” Cheung added.
тАЬWe are not only a city. We can fight for victory.тАЭ
Watch video as Hong Kong celebrates the famous win at Tokyo.
