A 16-year-old fencer from Almere who is part of the Dutch national team is seeking sponsors to support his sporting ambitions. The accounts identify him by different first names—Dominique in one version and Leon in another—but otherwise describe the same athlete. He approaches companies personally rather than sending standard requests for money, and uses demonstrations to explain fencing, a relatively little-known sport in the Netherlands involving épée, sabre and foil.

The athlete is in the fourth year of havo and combines schoolwork with training, healthy eating and sufficient sleep. He says keeping up with homework is difficult but that his school provides help. Despite the challenges of finding sponsors and explaining his sport, he remains motivated by fencing’s action and technique and by being part of the national team.