15 Reasons To Root For UK Olympic Fencer James Honeybone

Admittedly, most of these 15 have to do with the fact that he’s cute and kind of punk rock looking.

James Honeybone is 20 years old, has plugs in his ears, tattoos, a lip ring, loves heavy metal, and is on the Great Britain Olympic fencing team. As soon as I saw his awful mugshot-style official portrait, my heart skipped a beat and I knew he was my favorite fencer since Kat from Real World: London.

There’s 3 different types of fencing — épée, saber, and foil — with slightly different rules about where on the body you can hit and if hits with the side of the sword or just the tip count. Honeybone’s event is individual sabre fencing (there’s also a team version), where you can hit with the sides of the sword as well as anywhere on the opponent’s upper body, including arms.

Here’s why you should be hoping James Honeybone stabs the other guys as hard and as often as possible with his sabre. Win that gold!

1. He’s got crazy facial piercings

Source: modernfencing.tumblr.com

2. He’s got a half-sleeve tattoo

Source: @JHoneybone

3. He likes to goof around with his teammates

Source: @JHoneybone

4. He’s gracious

Source: @JHoneybone

5. He’s got a finger-moustache-tattoo

Usually these tattoos are a pet peeve of mine for being played-out, but it’s so nice to an athlete with some personal flair that I’ll allow it.

Source: @JHoneybone

6. He enjoys gardening

Source: @JHoneybone

7. He gives zero effs about meeting the Queen

Source: @JHoneybone

8. He used to have emo hair

Source: facebook.com

Source: facebook.com

9. But now he’s got a cool pompadour

Image by Scott Heavey / Getty Images

Image by Scott Heavey / Getty Images

10. He likes food on a stick

Source: facebook.com

11. He looks good in jorts

Source: facebook.com

12. He likes hanging out with his buddies, hungover

Source: facebook.com

13. This

Source: facebook.com

14. His girlfriend is a Spanish fencer and they’re adorable:

Source: facebook.com

15. Go James!!!!!

Source: @JHoneybone