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Alex O'Connell: Control is the key

The 20-year-old classics scholar had his sights set on London in 2012 when he qualified for the 2008 games.

The sabre fencer admitted it had been a bit of a shock but believes Beijing will be great grounding for 2012.

Alex, who took up fencing at school in Brentwood, Essex, said the sport was all about self-control.

"I think you have got to control things you can control. You have to be in control of your own mind.

"You can't control what's going to happen with your opponent. The important thing is to stay calm," he said.

Combining studying with training has not been easy but his coach, David Sach, put Alex's qualifying success down to his dedication.

In Beijing Alex will be competing alongside Richard Kruse, who came eighth in the Athens games.