Macau’s two-day “Summer Fencing Camp 2025” concluded yesterday, with the event aimed to broaden local athletes’ horizons. The clinic* was co-hosted by Macau Chillax Fencing Club and KM Fencing.
The clinic was held in Praça Kin Heng Long in Nape.
The clinic invited Lee Kiefer, who represented the US at the Olympics four times and won three gold medals at the Tokyo and Paris Olympics, and Gerek Meinhardt, who represented the US at the Olympics five times, winning two Olympic bronze medals and eight World Fencing Championships gold medals. The clinic attracted fencers from different countries and regions including the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Malaysia and the United States.
Chillax Fencing founder Brian Cheong Weng told the Post that fencing in Macau has experienced rapid development in recent years, with young athletes achieving repeated success in international competitions. Local 14-year-old phenomenon Cheong Chong Kio broke Macau’s men’s foil record, becoming the youngest ever competitor in this event at the National Games.
He stressed that participating in high-level competitions helps young athletes broaden their horizons and gain valuable experience.
Kiefer and Meinhardt told the Post that Macau’s young fencers demonstrated remarkable focus and energy, adding that teaching these athletes also helped shift their own perspective from competitors to coaches.
They said the camp aimed to ignite the children’s passion for fencing, instil the value of perseverance, and share professional athletes’ strategies for overcoming setbacks. Their brief visit to Macau for a Hong Kong tournament earlier had left them eager to return for deeper engagement with the local sports community, both said.
The upcoming 15th National Games will be held in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau from November 9 to 21, and the fencing competition will be held from November 15 to 20 in Hong Kong Kai Tak Sports Park.
*In sports, the term “clinic” refers to a training session or workshop where athletes or coaches teach and demonstrate specific skills, techniques, or strategies related to a sport. These sessions are usually led by experienced players, coaches, or specialists to help participants improve their performance. – DeepSeek
Lee Kiefer (second from left, back row), Gerek Meinhardt (third from left, back row), Chillax Fencing founder Brian Cheong Weng (third from right, back row) and Chillax Fencing members pose during yesterday’s “Summer Fencing Camp 2025”. – Photos: Maria Cheang Ut Meng
Lee Kiefer (right) and Gerek Meinhardt (left) coach young fencers in Praça Kin Heng Long in Nape yesterday.
