Hong Kong hero savors historic gold

Never-say-die spirit

That was a mantra that Cheung never abandoned throughout his thrilling Olympic campaign.

In a dramatic quarterfinal against Russian Kirill Borodachev, Cheung snatched victory from the jaws of defeat by scoring six points in a row to win 15-14.

He then fought off Alexander Choupenitch of the Czech Republic, who eventually claimed the bronze medal.

Cheung revealed after the final that he had struggled with cramp since the round of 16 and had to recover his fitness while competing.

Cheung and his teammates will feature in the men's foil team competition on Sunday.

Born in 1997, Cheung developed a passion for sports in elementary school, influenced by his parents, who were both basketball players in the 1980s.

Cheung's mother, Chan Suet-ling, recalled her initial hesitation when Cheung proposed dropping out of school to become a professional fencer when he was about 16.

The youngster eventually won the family's full support through unrelenting hard practice, outstanding performances, and the recognition of world-class coaches.

After four years in the pro ranks, Cheung made a major breakthrough by winning the individual foil title at the 2016 Asian Fencing Championships in Wuxi, Jiangsu province. He was dubbed "Young Sword God" by Hong Kong media.

Cheung finished 14th in the men's foil at the 2016 Rio Olympics, afterward telling media that he was targeting a medal at the Tokyo Games.

The 1.93-meter-tall athlete was the flag-bearer of the 46-member Hong Kong, China delegation in Friday's opening ceremony, before showing that his podium target was not merely idle talk.

Cheung and his teammates will be back in competition at the 14th National Games of China in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, from Sept 15-27.