Yu Chui Yee

Yu Chui Yee, also known as Alison Yu Chui-yee, was born on March 29, 1984. At the age of 11, she was diagnosed with bone cancer, which led to the amputation of her left leg. Initially, Yu focused on swimming, but at 17, she transitioned to wheelchair fencing. Her professional fencing career began in 2001 when she started representing Hong Kong. She made her debut at the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens, where she achieved significant success, winning four gold medals in wheelchair fencing. These victories included individual foil category A, team foil, individual épée, and team épée events, making her the first athlete to secure four gold medals in fencing at a single Paralympic Games in category A. Her early career demonstrated her determination and skill in the sport.

Following her 2004 Paralympic success, Yu continued her athletic and academic pursuits. She was granted admission to the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s Department of Geography and Resource Management and later earned an MA in Sports Studies. The Sir Edward Youde Memorial Scholarship for Disabled Students in 2006/07 supported her education and athletic training, allowing her to balance university with elite training at the Hong Kong Sport Institute. Yu continued her Paralympic journey, competing at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, where she won one gold in individual foil category A and one silver medal in individual épée category A. At the 2012 London Paralympics, she earned two more gold medals in individual épée category A and individual foil category A, along with a bronze medal in the open category team épée.

Yu’s career extended through the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympics, where she added two silver medals to her collection in individual foil category A and team épée. As of the time of the Rio Games, she held the distinction of being the female wheelchair fencer with the most Paralympic medals in history, with a total of 11 medals. Her journey continued to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games and the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, where she secured additional medals, cementing her status as a highly decorated athlete. Beyond her sporting achievements, Yu is also a radio host, a columnist for the official Paralympic movement website, and a co-founder of the Fencing Sport Academy, an initiative aimed at young children and teenagers.