Milan 2023 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS | Japan v Hong Kong | Men's Foil Fencing Team | 香港劍擊花劍 v 日本 フェンシング 

Semifinal of the 2023 Milan World Championships Men's Foil Team between Hong Kong 香港 and Japan 日本.
On the Left - Hong Kong
Hong Kong has never won a medal at the World Championships in the Men's Foil Team category. A year previously, CHEUNG Ka Long became the first Hong Kong Fencer to win an individual medal (Bronze) at the World Championships
Hong Kong is a team with two great fencers. The reigning Olympic Champion, CHEUNG Ka Long 張家朗 is currently ranked 7th individually. And while CHOI Chun Yi Ryan 蔡俊彥 has dropped out of the top 16, he is still a well respected fencer.
However, team fencing requires at least three fencers, and Hong Kong has always had trouble with the final spot. While traditionally fielding NG Lok Wang Lawrence, and CHOI Nicholas Edward, recently the team selection has become more stable with YEUNG Chi Ka 楊子加 and LEUNG Chin Yu 梁千雨 filling out the spaces.
In recent memory, Hong Kong has won Silver at the 2019 St Petersburg World Cup, and Bronze at the 2020 Cairo World Cup. However, since then, Hong Kong has rarely made the semifinals of any world cup.
Hong Kong made the semifinals by defeating the reigning World Champion, Team Italy, in the Quarterfinals.
On the Right - Japan
Since Russia has been banned from competing, Japan has been making the semifinals of events more often - often losing both bouts to come forth. Since the end of the previous season, 2022 Junior World Champion and 2022 Senior Belgrade Grand Prix Bronze Medalist, IIMURA Kazuki has replaced SAITO Toshiya for most team events. SUZUMURA Kenta is also now in the top 4 again.
After the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, French foil legend (including defeating Japan and winning Gold at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics) Erwan LE PECHOUX has become the Head Coach of the Men's Foil Programme for Team Japan. He coached IIMURA to win the Junior World Championships and Bronze at the 2022 Belgrade Grand Prix, and Kyosuke MATSUYAMA to win his first World Cup earlier this season in Bonn. Perhaps most impressively, Japan won its first Gold in the Men's Foil category earlier this season at the 2023 Cairo World Cup.
At Milan 2023, MATSUYAMA won a Bronze in the Men's Foil Individual Event. Japan made the Finals by defeating Korea in the Quarterfinals.
Team HONG KONG
CHEUNG Ka Long 張家朗
CHOI Chun Yi Ryan 蔡俊彥
YEUNG Chi Ka 楊子加
LEUNG Chin Yu (R) 梁千雨
Team JAPAN
SHIKINE Takahiro 敷根 崇裕
MATSUYAMA Kyosuke 松山 恭助
IIMURA Kazuki 太田 雄貴 2.0
SUZUMURA Kenta 鈴村健太 (R)
0:00 Introduction
0:11 CHEUNG v MATSUYAMA
2:22 YEUNG v SHIKINE
6:10 CHOI v IIMURA
13:51 LEUNG v MATSUYAMA
21:30 CHEUNG v IIMURA
24:24 CHOI v SHIKINE
29:21 LEUNG V IIMURA
32:43 CHOI V MATSUYAMA
37:05 CHEUNG V SHIKINE

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