News story
Kruse wins Euro title
By John Pollard
Fencer Richard Kruse achieved the outstanding success
of his career when he beat Italian superstar Cassara
in his own backyard on his way to becoming European
junior champion last week.In the final, a terrific
duel between two highly skilful exponents, world
junior champion and European senior title holder
Cassara was within one hit of victory at 14-13.
But weary Kruse, summoning up his last ounce of
energy, scored with two tremendous thrusts to take
the honours, 15-14.
Former Polish Olympic representative Ziemek Wojciechowski,
who coaches Kruse at the Salle Paul Club, at Highgate
School, said: "It was a truly great performance
by Richard, who not only had the talented Cassara
to contend with, but also a very noisy, partisan
Italian crowd.
"He's only 18 and will be eligible to defend
the title next year."
For Kruse, of Nethercourt Avenue, Finchley, the
triumph wiped out memories of a near miss in the
European Junior competition in Helsinki a year ago,
when he lost to fellow Salle Paul fencer Laurence
Halstead in the final.
It was the climax of a tremendous ten-day treble
which began with a 15-11 revenge win over Halstead
in the final of the British Junior championships
in Bristol.
He followed that with another impressive success,
outclassing powerful Germans Zorck and Wainkauf
on their home territory in the World Junior Cup.
Following a 15-6 win over Zorck in the semi-final,
Kruse brushed aside the challenge of Wainkauf with
a comfortable 15-5 success.
Kruse contests the World Senior Cup in Vienna later
this month.
Seventh in the World Junior Championships last
year, he has the gold medal in his sights this time
round in Sicily in April, and is planning to take
a big stride forward at July's World Senior Championships.
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