Vivian Kong Man-wai emotional after winning Olympic gold© AFP
Hong Kong's fencing queen Vivian Kong Man-wai announced on Sunday that she was retiring from professional fencing after winning the city a gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics. "After competing in my third Olympics, I have decided to take a break from professional fencing," Kong wrote in a message to her "fencing family" on social media. "I look forward to starting a new career and work towards having my own charity to help kids find joy and playfulness back into sports."
Upon her triumphant return to Hong Kong Thursday after defeating French favourite Auriane Mallo-Breton in the women's epee final, Kong had told reporters she intended to use her prize money to set up a charity fund or social enterprise for children.
Aged 30 and currently ranked number one in the world, Kong has been fencing for nearly two decades and triumphed in Paris after suffering two torn cruciate ligaments in recent years.
Patrick Yung, an orthopaedics and traumatology professor who treated Kong, told local broadcaster RTHK that he didn't think her retirement was related to the old knee injuries.
"The Vivian I know, other than promoting fencing with her utmost effort, has also done a lot in promoting sports and positive thinking among the general public, particularly young people; I believe she will continue with those works," Yung said.
Eric Chan, Hong Kong's chief secretary, told Now TV News that he hoped Kong could become a coach to help cultivate more fencing talent in Hong Kong.
In addition to her sporting career, Kong has studied international relations at Stanford University in the United States and obtained a master's degree in law from the Renmin University of China.
She was also admitted to the juris doctor programme at the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2021.