As FIE ambassador, pop star Wang sings sport's praises

Had he kept lunging on the piste instead of cutting a dash with a microphone, Jackson Wang would've very likely still made it to the highest international stage.

Now, as a globally renowned pop star and fashionista, the singer-songwriter, who was born in Hong Kong, China, hasn't forgotten his athletic roots and always stays "en garde" for any opportunity to promote fencing, the sport that defined his junior years, influenced by his Olympian father who represented Team China at the 1984 Los Angeles Games.

So, it was a no-brainer for the former Asian junior champion to step up when the International Fencing Federation (FIE) brought its senior world championships to his hometown, where nearly 1,500 athletes from 114 countries and regions are battling it out across six individual and six team events through Thursday.

In a groundbreaking partnership with FIE announced on Saturday, Wang has proudly embraced a new responsibility as the international governing body's first-ever Global Ambassador.

The hugely popular entertainer said it was an honor to leverage his massive fan base to promote his beloved sport, and there was no better occasion to do it than at home.

"While, ultimately, I chose to pursue a career in music, fencing has always been in my blood," Wang said at a news conference held at the Asia World-Expo in Hong Kong to announce his ambassadorial role.

"As global fencing ambassador, my mission is to bring that same energy to the sport on behalf of all the athletes on the Road to LA28," said Wang, who, as a teenager, represented Hong Kong, China, at multiple international competitions, including the 2010 Youth Olympic Games and the 2011 Asian junior championships.

"I want to show young people everywhere that it's okay to follow your dreams, whether you pick up a sabre or a microphone," said Wang, who's garnered a whopping total of over 100 million social media followers globally.

Encouraged by his father Wang Ruiji, who won China's first Asian Games fencing gold medal in sabre at Bangkok 1978, Jackson Wang started fencing at the age of 10, also specializing in sabre, and his talent soon took him to the world stage.

He climbed to Asian No 1 in sabre in the U17 category in 2010, won the U17 individual title at the 2011 Asian junior championships and earned qualification for the 2012 London Olympics.

The multihyphenate star, instead, chose to pursue a serious career in music after he joined an audition in 2010 organized by South Korean pop talent management company, JYP Entertainment. He made an immediate impression and was offered a chance to join pop band, GOT7, which made its debut in 2014.

Now a decorated artist, Wang has captivated millions globally through albums like Magic Man (2022) and Magic Man 2 (2025), both of which debuted in the top 15 of the Billboard 200.

Wang is also the most-followed Chinese artist on Instagram, with over 32 million followers, backed by sold-out shows worldwide and three consecutive Coachella performances.

Now as the FIE ambassador, Wang's appearance in Hong Kong to promote the worlds represents a full-circle moment, as it marked a meaningful return to his childhood passion, while bridging two historic editions of the LA Games — the first in 1984 where his father competed, and a second in 2028, where Wang is expected to feature in a series of lead-up promotional activities.

The ambassadorship is expected to see Wang collaborating with FIE to draw new fans to the sport from beyond the fencing community and to help engage top-tier sponsors and more celebrities to further expand the sport's exposure.

"Jackson brings immense influence to raise awareness of fencing among younger audiences and within celebrity circles worldwide," said Abdelmoneim El Husseiny, interim president of FIE, during Wang's introductory ceremony in Hong Kong.

"He carries a genuine connection with our sport, while possessing the cultural influence to introduce fencing to a new generation of fans who grew up on music and fashion and active, healthy lifestyles."

Following Wang's introduction, the world championships have kept the Hong Kong crowd thrilled with the action living up to the event's billing as an elite prelude to the LA28 Games.

Team China's young 29-strong squad, despite having no gold medals as of Tuesday, will, for sure, sign off the Hong Kong worlds with a talented group of up-and-coming fencers tested at the highest possible level ahead of the Olympics, according to Luo Dongling, president of Chinese Fencing Association.

"We are still a young team, lacking experience and technical maturity compared to the world's established fencing powerhouses," Luo told Xinhua.

"Our youngsters, though, showed in some moments during key matches that they can compete against the best of the world.

"The highlight of this tournament for us was our young fencers' fearless aggression and willingness to go all out, which showcased their competitive spirit."

The best result for Team China so far is a bronze medal in women's individual epee, won by 22-year-old Tang Junyao on Saturday.