Jasper Hendriks
The early years
For the first few years, Jasper trained mainly because he enjoyed the sport and could put his energy into it. In 2016 he started participating in small youth tournaments for the first time. During this period, his talent came to light and he was noticed by his current coach. From then on he started playing national matches in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.
At his first NJK, Jasper immediately placed2nd in the chicks which was already a great achievement. But Jasper really broke through in 2019 when he placed second at the Dutch Junior Championships. After this championship he was invited to train with the national selection in Arnhem and started participating in European competitions. His first major European tournament was the Challenge Wratislavia in Poland in 2019, one of the largest youth tournaments in the world where more than 4,000 fencers gather.
Saber fencing is something Jasper likes because it requires a lot of technique and athleticism. It is an explosive sport that requires a lot of training to be among the best. In 2022, Jasper achieved an impressive 22nd place at the European Youth Championships in Novi Sad, Serbia, a great result in a strong international field of competitors. His best match, by his own admission, took place earlier this year at the World Cup in Dourdan, France. There he won 15-10 from the French fencer who had finished second at the same European Championships.
Long-term objective
Since this year, Jasper has been sponsored by Insolution. They provide Jasper with a comfortable, strong sole of good quality that will last a long time. He is happy with the sponsorship and states, “I am happy that Insolution wants to sponsor me by providing soles, because these soles are of high quality. They really help me prevent injuries to my back and shins.” In 2024, Jasper again became Dutch champion in the juniors and teams and he hopes to bring in another triple by becoming champion in the seniors. With an eye on the long term goal, participation in the Olympics in 2028 or 2032, I am on track I hope that in the near future I can continue to combine this beautiful sport with my studies because if I manage to achieve my goal the circle is complete, from being interested in seeing at the Olympics to competing on the Olympic runner myself.