Olympic Paris 2024: Queen of Fencing Vivian Kong Breaks French Hearts
At the Paris 2024 Olympics, Vivian Kong from Hong Kong (China) made history by becoming the first athlete to win a gold medal in fencing. In the women’s epee final held on the evening of July 27 (local time), Kong caused a major upset by defeating the top contender from the host nation, France’s Auriane Mallo-Breton, in a dramatic 13-12 victory.
The final was held in an electrifying atmosphere with the presence of French President Emmanuel Macron. The Palais des Sports, with a capacity of 8,000, was almost entirely filled with spectators eagerly anticipating a victory for the French fencer. Auriane Mallo-Breton started off strong, leading Kong with a score of 7-1, which thrilled the French fans and set high expectations for a local win.
However, the match took an unexpected turn as Vivian Kong staged a remarkable comeback. Trailing 7-1, Kong steadily closed the gap and ultimately won with a score of 13-12. This thrilling victory not only broke the hearts of the French fans but also earned Kong a prestigious gold medal, marking the third Olympic gold medal in Hong Kong’s sporting history. The win created a wave of excitement and pride among the local population. Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu extended his heartfelt congratulations to Kong.
After the final, Kong was overcome with emotion and cried. She reflected, “With the score at 7-1, I told myself I didn’t want to lose by such a large margin. So I focused on making up the deficit one point at a time. I realized I could do better. I erased all doubts, tried everything I could, and finally made a successful comeback.” She also admitted, “I was a bit distracted at the start of the final, worried that the French audience would be disappointed if I won. Competing at the Palais was a dream for me, and I’m grateful for the presence of all the fans, even if they might not have wanted me to win.”
This marks Vivian Kong’s third consecutive Olympics after participating in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2021, where her campaigns ended early. Kong is praised not only for her exceptional fencing skills but also for her beauty and impressive academic achievements. She graduated from Stanford University and holds a Doctorate in Law from the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
On the first official day of fencing competition (July 27) at the Paris 2024 Olympics, alongside Kong’s gold medal, South Korea’s Oh Sanguk also won gold in the men’s individual sabre event. The silver medal went to Fares Ferjani from Tunisia, while Luigi Samele from Italy secured the bronze. The day also saw significant shocks with top contenders Sun Yiwen from China and Aron Szilagyi from Hungary being eliminated in the first round.
