New Delhi: India secured 17 medals, including four gold at the U-23 Commonwealth Fencing Championship, dominating both the men’s and women’s individual events currently underway in Lagos, Nigeria.
Team India captured four gold, four silver, and nine bronze medals after the opening day of the event which began on Sunday and will run till August 14.
The national squad displayed absolute dominance across every discipline, ensuring at least one Indian fencer reached the podium in all six individual events spanning Sabre, Foil, and Epee categories, stated a release from the Fencing Association of India.
The Men’s Sabre competition saw an extraordinary podium sweep by Team India, led by Nikhil Wagh, who secured the Gold medal. Lakshay Badser took the Silver, while Ashwini Arya and Laishram Moramba shared the Bronze medals to complete the four-way victory, as per a press release from the Fencing Association of India.
In the Men’s Foil and Epee categories, Indian athletes continued their strong momentum against tough international opposition. Tejas Patil captured Silver and Hemash Sanasam took Bronze in Men’s Foil behind England’s Oliver. Meanwhile, in Men’s Epee, Lokesh Vemani brought home Silver, with Shaurya Ashwini and Godwin Anbkess earning Bronze medals alongside Gold winner Thompson of Nigeria.
India’s women athletes were equally dominant, securing top honours in two out of three categories. Joys Ashita won Gold in Women’s Foil ahead of teammate Kanaglakshmi, who earned Silver. In Women’s Epee, Prachi Lohan clinched the Gold medal, supported by Nivedhya Nair and Anupriya, who both took Bronze. In Women’s Sabre, Jeferlin claimed Gold and Aakhari earned Silver, while Shreya Gupta added a Bronze medal to round out the women’s medal count.
Commending the contingent on their stellar performance, Rajeev Mehta, Secretary General of the Fencing Association of India, stated, “I extend my heartiest congratulations to all our medal winners, coaches, support staff, and families for their relentless dedication and contribution to India’s remarkable performance. Our objective is to continue creating more opportunities for young Indian fencers to compete at the international level and prepare them for the senior circuit and major championships, and these achievements mark a vital step towards building a stronger, more competitive team for the future.”
The Fencing Association of India reaffirmed its commitment to nurturing young talent as Indian fencing continues to establish itself as a formidable force in international competitions.
