James Kenber

James Kenber is a British 'International Elite Fencer' who won the Mens Foil Fencing Commonwealth Bronze Medal in the team discipline and ranked 6th overall in the individual event at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. In 2005 he became United Kingdom National Champion at just 18 years of age. He is one of the most high profile Jewish athletes in Britain today.

Education

Kenber, formerly a student at Millfield public school, is currently reading Mathematics at Magdalen College, Oxford, where he captained the Oxford 'University' fencing squad, including 8 international fencers, during the 2006/07 season. Under Kenber's stewardship Oxford defeated Cambridge in the 2007 Varsity Match, ending an unprecedented eight year losing streak; the worst in recorded match history.

Reputation and controversies

At the 2006 Commonwealth Games Kenber provoked controversy by refusing to attend the medal ceremony, further cultivating his image as the self-styled 'bad boy' of British fencing when he was discovered to be heavily under the influence of alcohol in the athlete's village during the ceremony.

The 'Ultimate Olympian' blog noted that James' youthful flair, good looks, and fondness for hard liquor were reminiscent of footballing icon George Best, remarking that "To say that Jamie Kenber is rather good at foil is like saying that George Best wasn’t bad at football".

In his spare time James enjoys online-gambling, reading classical political theory and Belgian 'jump-style'

External links

• British Fencing profile
• Ultimate Olympian profile
• Oxford Fencing profile