The 23rd African Fencing Championships witnessed a series of captivating performances, most notably from Nigeria’s Oluwafolayemi Akinyosoye, who delivered a stunning upset in the men’s individual sabre event. The 20-year-old fencer, who recently switched allegiance to Nigeria after previously representing England at cadet and junior levels, defeated top seed and Olympic silver medallist Fares Farjani of Tunisia with a narrow 5-4 victory in a tense preliminary-round duel. This win sent shockwaves through the competition, sparking jubilant celebrations among Nigerian fans and marking a significant personal breakthrough for Akinyosoye on the continental stage. His triumph secured him a spot in the knockout rounds.

Akinyosoye continued his impressive run into the round of 16, where he convincingly overpowered Algeria’s Lotfi Ibrihen with a 15-9 win. However, his journey concluded in the quarterfinals, where he was defeated 15-8 by Tunisia’s sixth seed, Ahmed Ferjani. Despite the quarterfinal exit, Akinyosoye’s fearless and spirited performance earned widespread acclaim, signaling a bright and promising future for the young Nigerian fencer.

Another Nigerian talent, Inkosi Brou, also made his mark at the championships. Brou, a bronze medallist at the African Junior Championships and grandson of the late NAFDAC Director-General Prof. Dora Akunyili, fought valiantly through the early rounds. His run, however, ended in the round of 16, where he fell 15-11 to Niger Republic’s fifth seed, Evann Girault, narrowly missing out on a medal opportunity.

The men’s sabre field saw further upsets, notably the early exit of defending champion Fares Farjani, who was stunned 15-13 by Egypt’s Adham Moataz in the round of 16. This defeat brought an end to Tunisia’s previously dominant run in the discipline, opening up the competitive landscape in the event.

In the individual women’s epee event, Nigeria’s Sarah Idongesit and Adebodunrin, two of the youngest participants in the field, successfully advanced from the group stages into the knockout rounds. Although both fencers were eventually eliminated in the round of 32 by more experienced opponents from Morocco and Algeria, their progression underscored the growing potential and emerging talent within Nigeria’s developing fencing program. The championship is set to continue with individual events in men’s foil and women’s sabre.