On a day one of Nigeria’s hopes for a podium finish at the ongoing 23rd African Fencing Championship, Inkosi Brou, bowed out of the competition, his compatriot, Oluwafolayemi Akinyosoye, pulled off a major upset in the individual men’s sabre event by defeating top seed and Olympic silver medallist, Fares Farjani of Tunisia in the preliminary round.

  The 20-year-old Akinyosoye, who recently switched allegiance to Nigeria after representing England at cadet and junior levels, edged Farjani 5-4 in a tense bout that sent shockwaves through the competition and sparked jubilant celebrations among Nigerian supporters.

  His victory over the Paris 2024 silver medallist not only marked a personal milestone but also secured his place in the knockout stages.

Akinyosoye carried his momentum into the round of 16, where he dispatched Algeria’s Lotfi Ibrihen with a commanding 15-9 win. However, his impressive run came to an end in the quarterfinals, where he fell 15-8 to sixth-seed Ahmed Ferjani of Tunisia. Despite the loss, Akinyosoye’s spirited display earned widespread applause and signaled a promising future for the young fencer on the continental stage.

  But for Brou, a bronze medalist at the African Junior Championships and grandson of the late NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Dora Akunyili, the end came in the quarterfinal, where he lost 15-11 to Niger Republic’s fifth seed Evann Girault.

  In the shock-filled championship, defending champion, Fares Ferjani, also exited the competition early, losing 15-13 to Egypt’s Adham Moataz in the round of 16. His defeat further opened up the field in the men’s sabre event.

  In the individual women’s epee event, Nigeria’s Sarah Idongesit and Adebodunrin, two of the youngest competitors in the field, advanced from the group stage into the knockout rounds. Both fencers were eventually eliminated in the round of 32 by more experienced opponents from Morocco and Algeria, but their progression highlighted the growing depth of Nigeria’s fencing talent.

  The championships continue today, with action in the individual men’s foil and women’s sabre events.