Sponsorship -
Ben Andrews 2023 season round-up: eyes on the Olympic prize
We are proud to support our employees in achieving their goals, whether personal or professional. Ben Andrews, Business Support Analyst at Arbuthnot Latham is also an international fencer for Team GB. As proud sponsors of Ben, we look back at his 2023 successes, as well as looking forward to Ben’s plans for 2024.
After securing the prestigious British Championship title in 2022, Team GB and international fencer, Ben Andrews made a strong start to the 2023 season with another podium finish at the British Championships and at the British Open.
Ben ended the 2022/2023 season as the top ranked U23 athlete in the British rankings, earning him selection for the U23 European Championships in Budapest, and the Senior European & World Championships in Plodiv and Milan, respectively.
In June 2023, Ben achieved an historic milestone by becoming the first men's epeeist (a fencer who uses a sword called an épée) to represent Team GB at the European Games in Poland. This multi-sport event for top athletes from all over the Europe zone is held every four years in the Olympic tradition.
Ben’s performance at the games in Poland placed him among the top 50 elite athletes in Europe, marked by notable victories over fencers from Macedonia, Sweden, and Lithuania. Progressing to the last 64, Ben faced a closely contested match against the World No. 12, Switzerland’s Alexis Bayard. This was Ben’s first call up for Team GB, and the experience of living and training in the Team GB athletes village at this event will prepare Ben for future games.
Following the games in Poland, Ben was asked to join Modern Pentathlon GB at their training camp in Paris as a sparring partner with friends and Team GB athletes, Joe Choong and Kate French, as they prepare to defend their Olympic titles in Paris 2024.
Selected for the Great Britain team, Ben competed in the season’s first World Cup Tournament in Bern, Switzerland, before travelling to Canada to compete in Vancouver, retaining his number one status in the U23 British rankings at the end of the year.
Ben found time in his training and competition schedule for a short break in Cornwall for a Christmas Day sea swim, before seeing in the New Year in Edinburgh.
So far in 2024, Ben has competed in Doha, Qatar. Ben won group stage fights over fencers from Mauritius, Korea and Austria, progressing through to the knockout rounds before falling short to Jean-Joseph (France), former Junior World Champion. The path to Olympic qualification continues in Germany, Hungary, and Argentina, as well as the U23 European Championships in Turkey.
"I am extremely pleased with the progress I have made this season. I started and finished the year as U23 No. 1 in Great Britain and had my first call up for Team GB, despite this only being my third year on the Senior circuit.
"I have an exciting few months ahead with Olympic qualification events, and my sights are set on representing Great Britain at the European Olympic zonal qualifier in April.
"The ongoing support of Arbuthnot Latham has played a pivotal role in my ability to compete internationally, enabling me to pursue my fencing career at European and world level."
Helping you go further
Discover a more personal approach to banking and wealth management.
Related services