5 things to know about Vivian Kong
Jul 30, 2024
Vivian Kong Man Wai made Hong Kong proud with a gold medal at the Paris Olympics. Olivia Bullock delves into the Queen of Swords’ journey, including her academic achievements in law, her blackbelt in taekwondo and her medal winning diet
She fought hard to win that gold medal at the Olympics
Kong had to make a dramatic comeback to cinch the gold medal at the Paris Olympics. Recovering from a six point deficit, she made a ferocious comeback to claim gold over France’s expected victor Auriane Mallo. Her achievements also marked Hong Kong’s third Olympic gold medal of all time. The impressive achievement was also witnessed by French President Emanuel Macron at the Grand Palais.
She was also the first female athlete to win a World Cup title in Hong Kong when she won the FIE Women’s Épée World Cup in Havana 2019. The same year she was named the Female Athlete of the year.
She has a black belt in taekwondo
Before pursuing fencing at the age of 11, Kong initially trained in ballet and taekwondo. After earning a black belt, she wanted to try something different and her father suggested giving fencing a go. She has expressed that “fencing is like the ballet of sports, it is very elegant and I really, really like it.” She also dabbled in ice-skating as a child but homed in on fencing upon discovering that she really enjoyed it.
She is vegan
Kong follows a vegan diet in order to improve her performance and recovery. The plant-based diet is clearly working for the athlete as she will be returning home with gold. She has previously torn her ACL twice, so it comes as no surprise that she is willing to try new ways to optimise her recovery and prevent injuries.
She has a law degree
The gold medallist acquired a Bachelors in International Relations at the prestigious Stanford University. She subsequently pursued a Masters in law at Renmin University of China while in Hong Kong. She is now said to be in the process of acquiring a JD degree (a Juris Doctor or Doctor of Law) at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
The athlete ultimately wants to work for the United Nations, presumably after her career in fencing is complete. This should come as no surprise as the Olympian is known for her campaigns to raise public awareness of social issues and charitable events. The diplomatic #legend hopes to use her platform to support humanitarian issues and contribute toward a peaceful society.
She turned down the opportunity to represent Canada
The gold medallist lived in Canada as a child from the age of two to six and has declined to represent the country. No doubt Hong Kong is grateful as it has given the SAR its third ever gold Olympic medal.
