Edgar Cheung opens title defence with win

Olympic champion Edgar Cheung on Monday easily booked his spot in the last 16 of men’s foil individual event at the Grand Palais in Paris. The SAR fencer beat Daniel Gu of Canada 15-5 in the round of 32. Cheung went ahead by seven points before his Canadian opponent started striking back. But he could not narrow the deficit and Cheung went on to win in the opening three-minute period. “This was the plan. We knew this opponent is a strong opponent but I knew if Cheung Ka-long is at his level, he can defeat easily and this was the plan,” said Cheung's coach Gregory Koenig after the match. Cheung will take on China's Mo Zewei next. “I really wanted Ka-long to keep focus, to stay focus on every point even if the score was very high difference, to keep focusing, to keep fighting to be fully prepared for the next match, which is going to be to very tough against Mo Ziwei,” Koenig added. Gu said he treasured the opportunity to take on an Olympic champion. “There is no point being mad or upset about it. I already knew going into this, I am not a favourite to win, so I just wanted to experience what it’s like to get beat by someone that good,” said Gu. “It was fun. It is always a learning experience so all the hits and points he gets on me, there is a reason why he is an Olympic champion.”