Nigeria Make History at Home as Wheelchair Fencers Deliver African Breakthrough at Commonwealth Championships

By Dorcas Francis Koji

Nigeria made history on home soil at the 2026 Commonwealth Fencing Championships in Lagos on Tuesday, winning nine medals and securing Africa’s first-ever international medal in wheelchair fencing.

The championships, being hosted at Rugby School Nigeria in Atlantic City, Lagos, witnessed a landmark moment as an international wheelchair fencing event was staged in Africa for the first time, with Nigerian athletes leading the continent’s breakthrough.

Nigeria’s medal haul comprised seven bronze and two silver medals, with the country’s para-fencers producing several impressive performances against experienced opponents from across the Commonwealth.

In the women’s epee Category A, Itunu Kumuyi and Joy Iorguma both claimed bronze after reaching the semi-finals before losing to their Indian opponents.

The pair later added two more bronze medals in the women’s wheelchair foil event.

Nigeria also made an impact in Category B, where Joyce Otun and Abiola Rahamon secured bronze medals, further underlining the rapid emergence of para-fencing in the country.

Chidinma Dennis went a step further, winning silver after losing to India’s Sheranthi Thomas in the final.

India continued to dominate the women’s wheelchair events, with Malti Panaure winning gold and Rekha Rekha taking silver. The results gave India their sixth gold medal in the wheelchair events and further highlighted the country’s strength in the discipline.

Programme Director of Wheelchair Fencing at the Nigeria Fencing Federation, Tonye Sawari, described Nigeria’s performance as a significant achievement considering the relatively short period the athletes had been training.

“You cannot imagine that we started training just three months ago, yet our athletes quickly became competitive against countries with years of international experience,” Sawari said.

“This is a remarkable beginning, and we hope to build on this success to raise the profile of wheelchair fencing in Nigeria. I am proud of our athletes for making their presence felt in this tournament and commend them for their spirited display.”

Nigeria’s success was not limited to wheelchair fencing, as Oluwafolayemi Akinyosoye also secured a bronze medal in the men’s senior sabre.

Akinyosoye, ranked as Nigeria’s leading competitor, progressed from Pool 2 into the knockout stages before producing a series of impressive victories.

He defeated England’s Charles Gellett 15-6 in the round of 16 and followed that with a 15-12 quarter-final victory over India’s Bebit Bright.

Despite suffering an early hand injury in the semi-final, Akinyosoye continued to fight before eventually losing 15-10 to Australia’s Yoongi Shim to settle for bronze.

Nigeria’s nine-medal haul and historic wheelchair fencing breakthrough represent a major milestone for the country’s fencing programme.

The achievement also provides a strong foundation for the continued development of both able-bodied and para-fencing in Nigeria, while creating a pathway for more African athletes to compete at the international level.

With the Commonwealth Championships taking place in Lagos, Nigeria’s athletes have not only delivered medals but have also placed the country at the centre of a historic moment for wheelchair fencing on the African continent.