Nigeria’s women’s epee team etched their names into the history books at the 23rd African Fencing Championships, clinching their first-ever win in the competition to secure a top-five finish.
The five-day tournament, held at Charterhouse in Lagos, wrapped up with Egypt dominating the overall standings, taking home the most gold medals.
After falling to Algeria in the quarterfinals, Nigeria’s trio, Somtochukwu Eribenne, Sara Idongesit, and Adebodunirin Thomas, bounced back with determination. They edged out Benin Republic 45-40 in a spirited fifth-place classification match, drawing loud cheers from the home crowd.
Team member Thomas described the moment as a turning point, “Winning our first match and finishing in the top five is a huge boost. We came together as a team, and our coach played a big role in preparing us. This win has raised our confidence for future competitions.”
Egypt Extends Continental Supremacy
Egypt maintained its stronghold in the men’s team foil, comfortably defeating Angola in a one-sided final.
The quartet of Abdelrahman Tolba, 2025 men’s foil champion,alongside Karim Medhat, Mohamed Hamza, and Sief Elghayes, dismantled Nigeria 45-9 in the semifinals before cruising past Angola 45-23 in the final showdown.
Angola reached the final after a thrilling 45-44 comeback win over Algeria, marking their first appearance on the podium.
The team, led by Tomas Pedro, Valter Barros, Francisco Manuel, and Luis Macedo, showed grit and composure under pressure.
Controversy and Victory in Women’s Events
In the women’s team epee final, Egypt was awarded the gold after a match against Algeria was abruptly stopped at 6-6. Algeria declined to continue, prompting a P. Black decision in favour of Egypt.
Egypt also prevailed in the women’s team sabre final. Alanoud Hegazy, Nada Hafez, Nagwa Nofal, and Renad Eldoksh led their team to a 45-40 win over Algeria, adding another gold medal to their growing tally.
Medal Table Recap
Egypt finished atop the medal standings with a commanding total of 11 gold, 5 silver, and 5 bronze medals. Kenya took second with a single gold, while Tunisia ranked third, claiming two silver and two bronze medals.
Algeria followed in fourth with one silver and six bronze medals. Côte d’Ivoire and South Africa each secured one silver and one bronze. Angola took home a silver, while Morocco, Cape Verde, and Senegal all earned a bronze medal each.
The championship, organized by the Nigeria Fencing Federation, brought together over 120 fencers from 18 African nations, competing across 12 events in five intense days of action.