LAUSANNE, Switzerland – Vivian Kong '16 was honored as the best women's epee fencer in the world for 2019 by the FIE Congress on Sunday.
Kong, a 2016 Olympian for Hong Kong, was the only fencer in her weapon to win multiple World Cup or Grand Prix titles during the international season. She was first at the Havana and Barcelona events, earned a silver in Tallinn, Estonia, and won four bronze medals.
She captured bronze in the World Championships in Budapest, becoming the first from Hong Kong to medal, and was a highlight during a breakthrough year.
Kong, 25, is coached by Romanian legend Octavian Petru Zidaru and finished 11th in Rio, her only Olympic appearance thus far. She hopes to compete in Tokyo in 2020, but first must overcome the effects of a torn ACL on her right knee, suffered late this season.
At Stanford, Kong majored in international relations and was the 2014 NCAA champion in the epee.
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