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Marcus Mepstead

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Marcus Mepstead
Born (1990-05-11) 11 May 1990 (age 34)
London, United Kingdom
Height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight77 kg (170 lb; 12.1 st)
Sport
CountryGreat Britain
Weaponfoil
Handright-handed
National coachAndrey Kluyshin
ClubSussex House Fencing Club
Head coachMark Nelson Griffiths
FIE rankingcurrent ranking
Medal record
European Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Leipzig Team
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Zagreb Team
European Games
Gold medal – first place 2015 Baku Team
British Championships
Gold medal – first place 2016 London Individual

Marcus Mepstead (born 11 May 1990, London) is a British foil fencer, team bronze medallist at the 2010[1] and 2013 European Championships,[2] and team gold medallist at the 2015 European Games.[3] He is the 2016 British National Champion.

Career

Mepstead started fencing as an after-school activity.[4] He was a member of the team that earned a bronze medal at the 2010 European Championships in Leipzig, Great Britain's first medal at the major fencing event since 1965,[1] becoming youngest British athlete to medal at European Fencing Championships. He took part in the 2011 Summer Universiade.[5] Great Britain earned another European bronze medal two years later in Zagreb.[6]

In 2014 he was drafted into the British World Class Programme ahead of the 2016 Summer Olympics.[7] In the 2014–15 season he took part in the first edition of the European Games held in Baku. Great Britain defeated France, then managed a surprise win against favourites Italy to earn the gold medal.[8] In April 2016 he was named a reserve for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.[9]

Personal life

In 2014 Marcus Mepstead graduated with a 2.1 BSc Honours degree in geography and economics at the London School of Economics. Whilst studying he was part of the University of London Union team that earned promotion to first division. He was awarded full purples for his involvement as well as earning a sports ambassador role within the university.[10] Currently he trains full time, working with the British Athletes Commission as well as mentoring and coaching at clubs and schools.

References

  1. ^ a b "London 2012: Fencing progress report". The Guardian. 26 July 2010.
  2. ^ "British foil fencers win European Championship team bronze". BBC. 21 June 2013.
  3. ^ "European Games: Britain win fencing foil gold". BBC. 27 June 2015.
  4. ^ "Marcus Mepstead". Beazley British Fencing.
  5. ^ Shanna Chu. "Britain's Biggest Ever Delegation Joins Shenzhen Universiade". lifeofguangzhou.com.
  6. ^ "Fencing - Great Britain pick up men's foil team bronze at European Championships". Yahoo! Sport. 21 June 2013.
  7. ^ Daniel Etchells (29 May 2015). "British Fencing's Elite Training Centre formally opened". insidethegames.biz.
  8. ^ Mark Staniforth (27 June 2015). "Baku Games 2015: Great Britain's fencing team stun reigning champions Italy for gold". Evening Standard.
  9. ^ "British Fencing Olympic selection meeting". British Fencing. 5 April 2016.
  10. ^ "LSE Sports Ambassadors". LSE Students' Union.
  • Profile at the European Fencing Confederation