Four north London fencers heading to Rio for 2016 Olympics
Richard Kruse, who coaches at ZFW Fencing Club at South Hampstead High School, is set to appear at his fourth Olympic Games - Credit: PA Archive/Press Association Images
Four north London fencers will head to Rio de Janeiro this summer to aid Team GB’s quest for Olympic glory.
Richard Kruse and James Davis – who are both coaches at ZFW Fencing Club, based at South Hampstead High School – have been chosen to compete in the individual and men’s team foil events, along with Laurence Halsted, who started out as a youngster at Finchley Foil.
All three men have represented Hendon-based Salle Paul at one stage – and so has Hampstead’s Marcus Mepstead, who has been selected as the team reserve.
Kruse, 32, said: “It’s the pinnacle of the sport so to be selected and be able to go out there for my fourth Games is going to be brilliant.”
Halsted said: “I was selected for London but this is different because we qualified by right this time and that feels significant because we did it ourselves.
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“It feels like the culmination of a 10-year project to find a team that is strong enough to compete at this level, and in the last year we have come on so much.”
Davis added: “Just by qualifying and beating the best teams we know that we have a chance at the Olympics. I know I am good enough so I am just focusing on that first touch.”
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And Mepstead said: “This will be my first Olympic Games so I’m incredibly excited to be going out to Rio. It’s a huge achievement for me and the team. We have been really strong this season and for me this moment has been a lifetime in the making.
“I’ve done this sport all my life so I’m so proud to have made these Olympic Games. I think for the sport it’s important that we are there because we want to help it grow and we want to be competing against the best in the world.”
