Medal hopefuls left foiled

The hosts, who have their sights set on winning the nation’s first Olympic fencing medal in 48 years next summer, squandered an 11-point lead to lose 42-39 at the English Institute of Sport.

Britain led 29-22 going into the final match – each team contest is split into nine individual duels – but Laurence Halsted crumbled at the death against four-time world champion Peter Joppich.

The defeat was particularly hard to take given Halsted, who had looked impressive in his earlier matches, had at first extended Britain’s advantage to the point where they looked all-but home and dry. The British quartet of Halsted, Richard Kruse, Edward Jefferies and Jamie Kenber, who beat Denmark 45-28 in their opening last-16 match, bounced back to finish in fifth place with a 45-33 win over Poland and a 45-36 success over Austria.

Kruse, the British No 1 and world No 14, said: “We fenced a textbook fight (against Germany), we won or drew pretty much every fight until the last one.

“I just don’t know how Joppich got back into it, I suppose that’s why he’s the four-time world champion. I’m not angry with Laurence, we’ve all been there. I know he did his best and Joppich is one of the best of his generation, a class fencer.

“It’s frustrating, because I think getting on to the podium is really do-able.”