Press Release 21^st May 2011:

Seoul Silver for Kruse after beating GB team mate Halsted

London based British fencer, Richard Kruse, 27 years old, today took the silver medal at the Men’s Foil World Cup in Seoul.

By virtue of his top 16 world ranking, Kruse did not have to fence in the early rounds, getting a bye through to top 64.  His team mates did not have this luxury and all but Jamie Kenber (24 years old), Laurence Halstead (25) and James Davis (19) fell before the second day of competition.

On day two of the event, Davis faced Chinese veteran Zhang (who made the final) but lost out 15-9 placing the teenager a respectable 48^th.  Kenber also lost out in the round of 64 to Luperi (FRA) 15-10 finishing 37^th.  However with something to prove after a slow start to the season Halsted and Kruse had winning on their minds. 

Ranked 77^th after the preliminary rounds, Halsted faced world number 15, Ma (CHN) who he beat 15-12, followed by a more comfortable victory, 15-7, against Or (ISR).  Next he faced the tough prospect of world number 2, Chamley-Watson (USA).  Halsted prevailed 15-11 making his first final of the season.   Kruse made light work of the early knockout rounds beating Han (KOR) 15-8, Yunes (UKR) 15-10 and then took out world number 10, Sintes (FRA) 15-7.

The draw placed the two British fencers against each other in the round of 8 and after a close fight Kruse came through 15-11.  In the semi-final Kruse faced Sedov (RUS) who he easily beat 15-5.  Andrea Baldini (ITA), world number 7 breezed through to the final to face Kruse with none of his previous opponents getting into double figures.  In an extremely tight final Baldini came through 15-14.

Speaking immediately after the event, Head Coach, Ziemek Wojciechowski said, “This is first good result for our men’s foil team after relatively poor beginning to the season.  This will boost confidence of the whole team.”

New Performance Manager, Alex Newton, added, “This is a good result and is a real boost for the team event.”

With the team event starting tomorrow (Sunday 22^nd May and Halsted’s birthday) team GB face the USA in what promises to be a fascinating match.

END

For further information please contact Karim Bashir on 07855 252 546 or [email protected]. Catch Sport, working in partnership with British Fencing.