South Korea’s Ha Tae-gyu claimed men's individual foil gold at the Asian Fencing Championships in Hong Kong ©FIE/Facebook/Trifiletti/Bizzi

Home favourite and defending champion Cheung Ka Long lost the men’s individual foil final to South Korea’s Ha Tae-gyu as action begun today at the Asian Fencing Championships in Hong Kong.

Cheung, who became the first fencer from Hong Kong to clinch the men’s individual foil continental title when he was crowned champion in Chinese city Wuxi last year, fell to a 15-11 defeat at the AsiaWorld-Expo.

He had earlier claimed a 15-9 semi-final win over South Korea’s Son Young-ki, who was one of two bronze medallists along with China’s Chen Haiwei.

Chen lost 15-12 in his last-four encounter against Ha. 

Kim Ji-yeon won an all-South Korean women's individual sabre final ©FIE/Facebook/Trifiletti/Bizzi
Kim Ji-yeon won an all-South Korean women's individual sabre final ©FIE/Facebook/Trifiletti/Bizzi

Ha’s victory was one of two for his country today with Kim Ji-yeon beating fellow South Korean Seo Ji-yeon 15-11 in the women’s individual sabre final.

Kim, the London 2012 Olympic champion, reached the gold medal match courtesy of a 15-9 win over Japan’s Misaki Emura.

The other semi-final saw Seo defeat China’s Yu Xinting by the same scoreline.

Yu and Emura shared the third step of the podium.

Action in Hong Kong is due to continue tomorrow with the men’s individual épée and women’s individual foil events.