The British men's foil team earned a historic medal by taking bronze at the European Championships in Leipzig.

For the quartet of Laurence Halsted, Ed Jeffries, Richard Kruse, Marcus Mepstead it was a first major international team medal.

GB's bronze came after a 44-37 victory over Poland having earlier beaten Germany and lost to Russia.

Italy beat Russia in the gold medal match 45-33 and finished top of the medal table.

The Italians' haul featured four golds, one silver and two bronze medals, while Britain finished with two bronzes to equal their best performance - Kruse having won individual bronze in the men's foil on Sunday.

We are consistently breaking new ground Head coach Ziemek Wojciechowski

"It's very special to be part of the first team to win a European medal since my father's epee team won a medal in 1965," said Halsted.

Head coach Ziemek Wojciechowski added: "We are consistently breaking new ground."

The men's bronze medal also saw them equal their record haul at the European Fencing Championships

"Overall this tournament has equalled our best ever result of two medals from last year and means that we've won six European medals in five years," said British Fencing's performance director Graham Watts.

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