Hong Kong’s Ryan Choi Chun-yin narrowly missed out on gold in the men’s individual foil event at the Asian Games, settling for silver after a closely contested final against Japan’s Kazuki Iimura on Tuesday evening at the Aichi Sky Expo.
The 28-year-old former world champion had a strong showing throughout the day, remaining undefeated in his pool and advancing comfortably through the elimination rounds. However, in the gold medal match against local favorite Iimura, Choi fell behind early, trailing 4-2 before the Japanese fencer extended his lead to 10-6. Choi mounted a fierce comeback to tie the score at 12-12, but Iimura ultimately secured the victory with a 15-13 finish, buoyed by the vocal support of the home crowd.
“I’m very upset now because I just lost the match, but I think overall I’ll be happy in 10 minutes because it’s still a silver medal,” Choi said after the bout. Reflecting on his day, he noted a shift in fortune. “I feel pretty lucky. I liked all my matchups. Sometimes it happens and you don’t know why. I can’t explain it but I felt it would be a lucky day.” Choi also referenced a recent losing streak in mahjong games with friends, joking that he believed his luck had finally turned around at the Games.
Iimura, 22, expressed gratitude for the support he received from the home crowd and family members in attendance. “I want to dedicate this medal to my family and the people who have supported me,” he said. The Japanese fencer admitted to feeling moments of panic during the match but credited the crowd’s encouragement with helping him regain composure.
Choi’s teammate, two-time Olympic champion Cheung Ka-long, had an early exit, bowing out in the round of 32 after a difficult pool stage, a disappointing outcome for the defending Asian Games champion.
Beyond fencing, Hong Kong’s athletes added to the city’s medal haul with notable performances across other disciplines. Cyclist Chloe Leung Wing-yee captured bronze in the women’s road race, while wushu competitor Lau Chi-lung earned silver in the men’s nanquan and nangun event, narrowly finishing behind China’s Li Jianming. Lau emphasized the intense mental and physical focus required at this level, highlighting the importance of managing stress under pressure.
Swimmer Siobhan Haughey also contributed to Hong Kong’s growing medal count, which reached 12 overall following Tuesday’s events.
In team competitions, Hong Kong’s challenges continued. The women’s team fell 3-2 to Singapore in the first knockout round, while the men’s team advanced to the quarterfinals before being defeated 3-0 by South Korea.
As the Games progress, Hong Kong will look to build on these mixed results across individual and team events.