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Paul McNamara

Greg Koenig has overseen the rise of Hong Kong’s greatest Olympian and helped inspire the fencing craze sweeping the city, and he is not minded to stop there.
“I’m proud of what I’ve given to Hong Kong, but I’m never satisfied; I think I can do more,” said Koenig, who masterminded Cheung Ka-long’s Olympic golds in Tokyo and Paris.
Koenig has retained the passion, enthusiasm, dedication and curiosity that have made him one of the world’s best coaches. Alongside the pursuit of his enduring professional ambitions, however, the Frenchman has pledged to “work harder on myself”.
“I didn’t do this enough in the past years; I was too much at work,” Koenig said.
“It’s why I divorced my wife. I was too focused on my job and not enough on her, or myself.”
Pointing to a block of flats overlooking Hong Kong Sports Institute in Sha Tin, Koenig said: “For seven years I’ve lived there, there’s no separation from work. I decided I needed to change my life.”

He will move to Sheung Wan this month. “When I finish work, I’ll be able to go out with friends – it’s too far for them to come here,” Koenig said.
“It’ll be better for my mental health. I take care of everybody else, but haven’t thought about me.”
After Cheung’s Olympic triumph in France last year, Koenig said he “had nothing left”.
“The year before was very hard emotionally, physically and psychologically,” he said. “When the last point of an Olympics is done, don’t ask me to do anything.
“Walking back afterwards, I couldn’t reach my hotel. I put my bag down, sat on it and waited.”
At the age of six, Koenig began fencing and playing tennis. He preferred the ball sport because it was “more fun and less complicated”.
“But I was stronger in fencing, so after about three years I quit tennis,” said Koenig, whose dad was an amateur fencer.

At 14, Koenig claimed bronze in a national junior competition. “That made me think I could achieve something,” he said. “The federation asked me to join the sports institute for young athletes, and within one month I was living far away from my parents.
“I was excited, but scared. You have to organise your own life, but it’s important to start making your own decisions as fast as possible. On the strip, you make one decision every 0.5 seconds.
“In Hong Kong, sometimes the kids are a bit over-protected. I’m not judging, it’s a different culture, but if you’re not used to [thinking for yourself], it’s more complicated.”
Koenig was a European team gold medallist in 2006, and French champion the following year.
With no men’s team foil competition at the 2008 Olympics, and Koenig behind 2004 gold medallist Brice Guyart and the legendary Erwann Le Pechoux in the individual domestic standings, he missed his only chance to go to the Games as an athlete.
“This was terrible … I went as a substitute, but lived it without fencing,” Koenig said. “I thought, ‘OK, I’ll go in 2012’, but life made it that I didn’t, because I quit fencing earlier.”

Two years after he had won a World Cup in Bonn, Koenig retired in 2011 a “happy and proud” man.
“I wasn’t so passionate about training any more; it was time for a new chapter of life,” he said. “I wish I could have done better but my body and brain allowed me to do what I did. When I speak with my daughter, I’m proud of my career.
“When an athlete is thinking of quitting today, I ask them, when they speak to their children in future, will they feel they achieved all they could have? If you stop too early, it’ll stay with you.”
On the advice of his father, Koenig had begun coaching and gaining his qualifications at 16.
“I didn’t really want to, but I needed pocket money to go out with my friends and enjoy life,” he said.
Jobs on the side also included 12-hour shifts as a hotel night keeper, and selling ice cream on the beach during summers. “That was very nice for me. I was pushing this wagon, which was good for the body. I got a nice colour and met nice people, and my body was ready when the season started in September,” he said.
Koenig eventually bought the ice cream company, and employed 500 people, before selling the business.
It was only when he retired that he dedicated his life to coaching. A job with a private Paris club led to his appointment as France head coach in 2012. Four years later, Koenig led the men’s team, including Le Pechoux, to Olympic silver.

In 2017, he felt he needed to change something.
“I’d separated from the mother of my daughter, who lived in the south of France, so I didn’t get to see her,” he said.
“My motivation was dropping, and I needed a new project to be happy.”
He was on the verge of becoming Great Britain head coach only for UK Sport to pull the plug on fencing funding.
“I didn’t want to stay in France … a guy at a competition asked me if I’d be interested in coaching in Taiwan,” Koenig said.
“I didn’t know where it was, only that as a child my clothes said, ‘Made in Taiwan’. I went for one month, they made a proposal and I stayed. I don’t overthink decisions; if I fail, at least I tried.”
After initially rejecting overtures from Hong Kong because of a growing attachment to Taiwan, Koenig ultimately accepted an offer in 2018. “They hired me to work in the way I wanted, not to tell me what to do,” he said.
“I was lucky, too – the people before me had created athletes who were already technically strong. I just needed to add the tactical and psychological elements.”
In his first session with Cheung, Koenig realised he would be working with someone special.
“I knew if I didn’t do bad things, he would be a champion,” Koenig said.
Koenig was equally excited about the “huge potential” of Ryan Choi Chun-yin, who became world champion this year, and the young talent bubbling beneath the surface. The men’s foil team qualified for Toyko 2020.
“We created something crazy for Hong Kong,” Koenig said. “I’m proud when I see children out with fencing bags. I’m not scared for the future of foil here. The youngsters know they can achieve things, because they’ve seen their elders do it.”












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Koenig, recently awarded the gold medal for youth and sports by Hong Kong’s French consulate, has become a master of man-management. “I adjust my way of being, depending on the individual,” he said. “I find out what motivates them. Not formally, because they just give you the right answer.
“Over food or a drink, when they don’t understand you are analysing them, you pick up details. I also look at how they are in a group and individually.
“The more you understand their mindset, the more you can play the game depending on what’s important for them.
“If a guy is motivated by fame and already has wealth, there’s no point reminding him how much money he can win.”
Koenig recovered his hunger and energy over a break following last year’s Olympics.
“If everyone is still motivated, then I have no right not to be, and the youngsters give you fresh air,” he said.
The forthcoming National Games meeting at Kai Tak Arena is causing Koenig “no stress, only excitement”.
“We’ve prepared well, and we’ll give our best to make Hong Kong proud,” he said.

Koenig’s 13-year-old daughter, Chloe, came to Hong Kong for the first time this summer. “We surprised her, she thought she was going to her grandparents,” Koenig said, laughing at the memory of Chloe surrendering to jet lag and sleeping for eight hours from 3pm on her first day.
“It was amazing for me, it’s been a long wait. She spent four days, and loved it.”
When talking about fencing, Koenig is intense and impassioned. When the conversation turns to family, the 47-year-old’s features soften and he grows animated.
“This year will be the first time I have Christmas and New Year with my family in Hong Kong,” he said.
“My parents, sister, nephews and daughter – seven people – are coming. Some friends are going to Europe, so we’re using their flats. I’m really happy about this.
“My nephew will stay with me for six months while he goes to university. I’m taking care of my family and myself, not focusing only on my job.”


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Hong Kong

Frenchman decides it’s time for family and mental health, though he says upcoming National Games have caused ‘no stress, only excitement’


Frenchman decides it’s time for family and mental health, though he says upcoming National Games have caused ‘no stress, only excitement’.


Greg Koenig

Cheung Ka-long

Hong Kong coach Greg Koenig ready for some me-time after life of fencing and medals

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Frenchman decides it’s time for family and mental health, though he says upcoming National Games have caused ‘no stress, only excitement’

Frenchman decides it’s time for family and mental health, though he says upcoming National Games have caused ‘no stress, only excitement’