In 2005, O’Connell won the cadet world championship in Austria. In the following year, he was selected for the England under-20 Commonwealth team in India, where he won gold in the individual and team events. In 2007, he placed second at the Junior Men's Sabre World Cup in Göppingen, Germany.
He competed for Great Britain at the 2008 Olympic Games, where he seeded 39th, and was eliminated by Nikolay Kovalev in the first round of competition, narrowly losing 15-14.[4]
He was a three times British fencing champion, winning the sabre title at the British Fencing Championships in 2005, 2006 and 2010.[5]
O'Connell was one of a group of four fencers who unsuccessfully appealed their rejection from the British team at the London 2012 Olympics.[6]
Personal life
O'Connell grew up in Brentwood, Essex, with a brother three years older, and a sister four years younger; both siblings also fenced. His parents, of Irish descent, are a solicitor and property developer, and a part-time teacher.[7]
Educated at Brentwood School in Essex and Churchill College, Cambridge, where he studied Classics,[2] O'Connell is now a lawyer with Freshfields Bruckhaus Derringer in London.
In 2017, O'Connell married author Ruth Gilligan in Ireland, after they met in college in 2008, and became engaged in 2016.[6]
References
^"Olympic athletes - Alex O'Connell". International Olympic Council. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
^ ab"Olympics fitness file: Alex O'Connell". The Guardian. Scott Trust. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
^Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. . Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 4 December 2016.
^. The Daily Telegraph. 12 August 2008. Archived from the original on 17 August 2008. Retrieved 21 October 2010.
^"British Champions" (PDF). British Fencing. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
^ ab"London 2012: Fencers' Olympic selection appeals rejected". BBC. 30 May 2012. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
^"Teaming up with Mum and Dad - Alex O'Connell". The Guardian. Scott Trust. 26 July 2008. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
alex, connell, fencer, alexander, james, connell, born, april, 1988, sabre, fencer, competed, great, britain, 2008, olympic, games, alex, connellpersonal, informationfull, namealexander, james, connellnationalitybritish, english, born17, april, 1988, 1988, hei. Alexander James O Connell born 17 April 1988 is a sabre fencer who competed for Great Britain at the 2008 Olympic Games 3 Alex O ConnellPersonal informationFull nameAlexander James O ConnellNationalityBritish English Born17 April 1988 1988 04 17 age 34 1 Height1 9 m 6 ft 3 in 2 SportSportFencing Contents 1 Sporting career 2 Personal life 3 References 4 External linksSporting career EditIn 2005 O Connell won the cadet world championship in Austria In the following year he was selected for the England under 20 Commonwealth team in India where he won gold in the individual and team events In 2007 he placed second at the Junior Men s Sabre World Cup in Goppingen Germany He competed for Great Britain at the 2008 Olympic Games where he seeded 39th and was eliminated by Nikolay Kovalev in the first round of competition narrowly losing 15 14 4 He was a three times British fencing champion winning the sabre title at the British Fencing Championships in 2005 2006 and 2010 5 O Connell was one of a group of four fencers who unsuccessfully appealed their rejection from the British team at the London 2012 Olympics 6 Personal life EditO Connell grew up in Brentwood Essex with a brother three years older and a sister four years younger both siblings also fenced His parents of Irish descent are a solicitor and property developer and a part time teacher 7 Educated at Brentwood School in Essex and Churchill College Cambridge where he studied Classics 2 O Connell is now a lawyer with Freshfields Bruckhaus Derringer in London In 2017 O Connell married author Ruth Gilligan in Ireland after they met in college in 2008 and became engaged in 2016 6 References Edit Olympic athletes Alex O Connell International Olympic Council Retrieved 7 August 2018 a b Olympics fitness file Alex O Connell The Guardian Scott Trust Retrieved 7 August 2018 Evans Hilary Gjerde Arild Heijmans Jeroen Mallon Bill et al Alex O Connell Olympics at Sports Reference com Sports Reference LLC Archived from the original on 4 December 2016 Fencing Olympic sabre rattling proves sport still can be noble The Daily Telegraph 12 August 2008 Archived from the original on 17 August 2008 Retrieved 21 October 2010 British Champions PDF British Fencing Retrieved 29 October 2022 a b London 2012 Fencers Olympic selection appeals rejected BBC 30 May 2012 Retrieved 8 August 2018 Teaming up with Mum and Dad Alex O Connell The Guardian Scott Trust 26 July 2008 Retrieved 7 August 2018 External links EditAlexander O Connell at the International Fencing Federation Alex O Connell at Team GB Alex O Connell at Olympics comAlex O Connell at Olympic org archived Alex O Connell at Olympedia This biographical article related to fencing in the United Kingdom is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alex O 27Connell fencer amp oldid 1118884911, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
