John Fethers
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | 4 December 1929 Melbourne, Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 30 March 2010 (aged 80)[1] Caulfield, Victoria, Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Fencing | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | VRI Fencing Club | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
John Erle Fethers (4 December 1929 – 30 March 2010) was an Australian fencer. He competed in six events at the 1952 Summer Olympics.[2] He was a longstanding member and coach at the Melbourne-based VRI Fencing Club. On 10 October 2009 in recognition of a significant international fencing career, outstanding personal contribution to Australian fencing, and lasting legacy in the training and development of numerous coaches and Olympic athletes, he was inducted as a Living Legend to the VRI Hall of Fame.[3]
Early years
Born in Melbourne, he began fencing at the age of 17 - the same year the Australian Amateur Fencing Association was formed (1946). John's interest and passion for fencing were inspired by the films of Australian actor
International career
Seeking international experience, he joined the 1950s Australian 'invasion' of Britain. He was selected to represent Australia in the foil at the
Honours
In 1961, he was awarded the Challenge Gilbert Duval, one of Europe's highest fencing honours,[5] awarded to the fencer judged the best consistent fencer over a five-year period. In 1956, after a year's study and training at the French Academy of Arms, he became a Maitre d'Armes (Master of Arms).
Later years
He returned to Australia in 1964 and became a member and coach at VRI Fencing Club. He coached the 1964 Australian Olympic Fencing Team before being appointed national coach in 1966. He remained a national coach and coach at VRI for several decades, then at La Trobe University Fencing Club from 1990 to 1995, before eventually retiring. He later returned from retirement to coach at the Melbourne University Fencing Club before his final well-deserved retirement. Drawing on a lifetime interest and passion for fencing in performance, he appeared in several films and short films and choreographed duels for film, stage and television.[5] His achievements in fencing have never been bettered by a fellow Australian.
References
- ^ "Sharp looks and all the moves to match his hero". theage.com.au. 22 April 2010. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
- ^ "John Fethers Olympic Results". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 31 January 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
- ^ *Fencing Victoria official website
- ^ "British Champions" (PDF). British Fencing. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
- ^ a b c Australian Fencing Federation: Fencer Profiles
External links
- John Fethers at Olympedia
- John Fethers at the Australian Olympic Committee
- John Fethers at the Commonwealth Games Federation (archived)
- Australian Fencing Federation
