Former Team GB fencer James Williams passed away aged 57 following a short-term illness on Sunday 12 May.
Williams represented his homeland at the Olympic Games in Barcelona, Atlanta, and Sydney.
He took up the sport during his time in the military, quickly becoming a well-respected member of the fencing community.
After his retirement from the sport, Williams turned his attention to public service, joining Medway Council in 2017 where he would serve as the Director of Public Health
"I will always remember him for his larger-than-life presence, his humour and, above all, his humanity and kindness,” said Dr Anjan Ghosh, director of public health for Kent County Council.
Further tributes have been paid by his colleagues, with councillor Teresa Murray describing Williams as ‘an Olympian in all sense of the word.’
“His passion for focusing on building resilience within communities and his focus on intervention at an early stage to prevent the development of poor health has meant that the people of Medway are leading better, healthier lives as a result of his hard work."
British Fencing are collating messages of condolence from the community to pass on to James’ family, which people can contribute to here.
Source: [IOC website]