Olympic hero Cheung Ka-long back in Hong Kong, misses local food and explains ‘blue tongue’ – as it happened

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Gold medal-winning Hong Kong fencer Cheung Ka-long, who made history this week by becoming the first man in 68 years to defend his Olympic foil title, received a rousing reception from fans after returning home from Paris on Friday morning.

The 27-year-old – who won Hong Kong’s only gold at the 2020 Tokyo Games – is the only local athlete to have more than one such Olympic medal to their name.

Since becoming Asian champion aged 18, left-hander Cheung has gone from strength to strength while also redefining Hongkongers’ ideas on what local sportspeople can achieve on the global stage.

The city’s achievements at the Paris Games have been no less momentous, with two golds and two bronzes so far.

Follow the Post’s coverage as fans and friends welcome home Cheung, a day after the return of fellow fencer Vivian Kong Man-wai, who too made history by becoming the first Hongkonger to win in the women’s épée final.

More from our coverage:

– Paris Olympics: viewers get ‘heart attack’ while Hong Kong medallists show mental grit

– ‘Pineapple belongs on pizza’: Italy vs Hong Kong Instagram war after Cheung’s win

– Italy lodges complaint over Cheung’s Olympic gold, says Macchi the ‘moral winner’

– Cheung Ka-long ‘can’t believe’ second Olympic gold – but may chase third in 2028

Reporting by Edith Lin, Alice Kong, James Modesto, Harvey Kong, Denise Tsang and Jeffie Lam.