Richard Kruse has suggested his fencing career may be coming to an end after crashing out of the Olympics individual foil alongside north London team mate James Davis earlier today as Team GB suffered endured a torrid time at the ExCel.

The Finchley athlete, competing in his third Games, was seen as a real medal hope after reaching the quarter-finals eight years ago and then taking bronze in the recent European Championships, but he was annihilated 15-5 by lower-ranked Russian Artur Akhmatkhuzin in his opening fight.

That followed a 15-8 defeat for Husayn Rosowky to Tunisian Mohamed Samandi - he needed treatment for a hamstring injury midway through the contest - and fellow 21-year-old James Davis, from Edgware, could not repeat his April victory over Germany's four-time world champion Peter Joppich.

Davis, who has risen around 100 places on the world rankings this year, went down 15-10.

After four days of competition no Briton has reached the last 16 of any event. There are five more days to come, but it will be a shock if women's sabre fighters Louise Bond-Williams and Sophie Williams change that tomorrow and in the men's and women's team foil favourites Italy lie in wait if they can first overcome Egypt.

Kruse, who turned 29 yesterday, spoke afterwards of probably giving the sport only one more year, although he later said he would not totally rule out a fourth Olympics in Rio in 2016.

"I think we are nearing the end," said the Londoner. "Fencing has been very good to me, but I can't fence like I was 21.

Kruse added: "I will probably do another year, just wind down. It's been heading that way for the last few years. It's been hard to hit form regularly.

"When I do it can go well, but it's too sporadic "I think if my timing was on I'd have stood a chance, but he was sharper on the day."

The former world number four went into the competition ranked 15th, while his opponent was 21st.

"I felt pretty good this morning, but it didn't happen," Kruse said.

Kruse said he was aware the Games had not begun as well as hoped for Team GB.

"Maybe the pressure, maybe we peaked in Beijing too early," he added.

Davis stated: "I'm just gutted. We've worked really hard for this - it's been non-stop - but it's not paid off.

"We will have to go and have a look. I lost to a great fencer, but it's a shame we have it (the Olympics) here and we've not been able to do anything with it.

"We can't waste opportunities like this. I've beaten some of these guys - I just wish it had happened this way round.

"They improve on the big day. It does not matter that I beat him (in Japan in April) - this is the big one and we couldn't do it.

"End, you're out, you go home."

Except there is the team event still to come for him, of course.

"We'll mope and get over it tonight, but we're gutted - absolutely gutted.

"I was very nervous, I won't lie. It's my first time. But I think there's a big mental block and you've got to learn to deal with this.

"I'd done my homework and I couldn't implement it."

The big shock was to see Kruse 12-4 down in the opening period - and it was all over in 203 seconds of action.

Davis still had a great chance at 10-9 behind, but Joppich took five of the next six points to go through.