In this episode, I’m joined by 2-time Olympian Laurence Halsted. Laurence competed in the London and Rio Olympics for the British Fencing team. He won a silver and bronze medal in the European Championships and finished 6th in the World Championships. He now works as performance director for the Danish Fencing Federation. As a coach, he has developed a passion for the mental side of sport. He works as a mentor for a not-for-profit organisation called The True Athlete Project.

In this episode Laurence and I discuss the psychological demands of fencing as a martial art; taking control of yourself when competing; using visualisation before competing; developing a mental system of effort & attitude; common distractions and how to deal with them; Recognise, respond, re-focus; what it takes to be world number one; the importance of character development, broadening identity and self-compassion in sport; revolutionising the culture of sport.

#8 Laurence Halsted - Inside the Mind of an Olympian