News

British Fencing launches Olympic Pathway Programme

British Fencing - 10/01/2007

British Fencing Performance Director, Graham Watts
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British Fencing has announced this week those fencers selected to enter their World Class Pathway Programme.

The top two levels of the new programme were launched on Sunday, with 16 individuals chosen following a series of rigorous selection trials held in December. Six athletes have been named on the World Class Podium Programme, with a further ten taking their places on the World Class Development Programme.

The six podium athletes are members of the successful Men’s Foil team, who reached the quarter-finals in last year’s World Championships, and the Women’s Sabre team – who reached the same stage in the European Championships.

James Beevers, Richard Kruse and David Riseley make up the Men’s Foil, while Louise Bond-Williams, Chrystall Nicoll and Jo Hutchison form the Women’s Sabre. Kruse, 23, won the individual silver medal at the European Championships last summer and was also a last eight finisher at the Athens Olympic Games. Beevers is the other fencer selected who has Olympic experience, having reached the last 32 in Sydney in 2000.

“This new Olympic Pathway Programme has enabled us to identify our very best prospects for London 2012 and give them the level of support never previously possible for British fencers,” said British Fencing Performance Director, Graham Watts. “Supported by generous financial investment from UK Sport, leading sports scientists, improved training facilities and world class coaches, Britain’s Olympic fencers will be fully equipped, physically and mentally, to realize their potential as highly skilled and fit athletes. I am convinced that as a direct result of this Pathway Programme, we will achieve our target of seeing the Union Jack raised over the fencing podium at London in 2012,” he added.

The ten new members of the World Class Development Programme are:

ANNA BENTLEY (25 – Foil)
CHRIS BUXTON (26 – Sabre)
KEITH COOK (25 – Foil)
LAURENCE HALSTED (22 – Foil)
NEIL HUTCHISON (22 – Sabre)
ED JEFFERIES (17 – Foil)
STUART MARSHALL (18 – Sabre)
AHMED ROSOWSKY (18 – Foil)
JAMES TAYLOR (24 – Epee)
JON WILLIS (25 – Epee)

Each of the above fencers will receive an Athlete Personal Award and will train on a full-time basis at the British Fencing Elite Training Centre in Hornsey, North London, and overseas.