‘Desperate' Hong Kong fencer Ryan Choi almost abandoned season before Shanghai glory
Foilist Choi outsmarted former world champion Tommaso Marini 15-12 in the Shanghai Grand Prix on Sunday to win his first senior individual international title.
Choi's maiden win almost did not happen as the left-hander revealed he thought about skipping the rest of the season after missing out on the main draw of the World Cup in Vancouver earlier this month, adding to the disappointment of not qualifying for the Paris Olympic Games last July.
However, coach Maurizio Zomparelli managed to talk him out of the idea.
Ryan Choi hugs coach Maurizio Zomparelli after his Shanghai Grand Prix win on Sunday. Photo: FIE
'I didn't play well in any tournament after failing to qualify for Paris – it was not regression on my part but a case of results not reflecting my improvement,' said Choi, who saw his latest rankings climb 15 spots to world No 17. 'I was desperate and wanted to bring the curtain down on the season.
'I didn't lose because of any technical issues but some external factors that discouraged me, but coach [Zamparelli] persuaded me to go on.'
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