Egypt and Tunisia, two of Africa’s fencing powerhouses, have arrived Nigeria ahead of the 23rd African Fencing Championships, which will take place at Charterhouse Lagos from Wednesday, 25 June, to Sunday, 29 June.
The five-day, 12-event tournament will feature top fencers from across the continent, all vying for the 12 gold medals up for grabs in both individual and team events.
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Egypt, the most decorated nation in African fencing, has arrived with the largest contingent. Their squad is headlined by the El-Sayed brothers—Olympic bronze medallist Mohamed El-Sayed and world junior champion Mahmoud El-Sayed.
Mohamed, 22, claimed bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and also won gold at the 2022 Mediterranean Games.
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His younger brother, Mahmoud, recently clinched gold at the 2025 Junior World Championships in Wuxi, China, and currently holds the world No. 1 junior ranking.
The Egyptian team, which landed in Lagos aboard an EgyptAir flight from Cairo, is determined to defend the overall title they secured in 2024.
Tunisia, another fencing powerhouse, has also touched down in Lagos with a strong squad led by Paris 2024 Olympic silver medallist, Farès Ferjani.
The 27-year-old is the reigning champion in the individual men’s sabre and will also lead Tunisia’s men’s sabre team.
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Other participating nations, including Mauritius, Angola, Rwanda, South Africa, Guinea, Morocco, Libya, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Senegal, are expected to arrive on Tuesday, 24 June, ahead of the tournament’s opening day.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Fencing Federation has expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support received from corporate sponsors and individuals, particularly Charterhouse, the host venue, which also staged the 2024 World Cup.
Federation President Adeyinka Samuel stated: “We are truly grateful for the support from government agencies and corporate bodies in helping to put Nigeria on the global fencing map through the hosting of this continental championship. Charterhouse has been a steadfast partner since the 2024 World Cup, and their continued support is deeply appreciated. We hope this inspires other institutions to follow their lead.”
Ndolo Alexandra
