By TUNMISE OMOFE

Oghenegaren Esiovwa-Thompson made history at the Commonwealth Fencing Championships, winning Nigeria’s first-ever gold medal in the men’s U-23 epee.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event took place at Rugby School Nigeria in Atlantic City, Lagos.

The 16-year-old stunned the field, brushing aside three Indian opponents on his way to the podium.

His triumph sparked jubilation among fans and marked a defining moment for Nigerian fencing.

To claim the crown, Esiovwa-Thompson produced a masterclass in the final, defeating Asian champion Lokesh Vemani of India 15-6.

The Nigerian teenager showed composure and class against his more experienced rival, while India’s Godwin Natarajan and Ashwini Shaurya settled for bronze medals.

His path to glory was impressive, beginning in Pool 4, where he went unbeaten to top the group and earn a bye into the round of 16.

He defeated South Africa’s Karabo Mathobela 15-7 before overwhelming India’s Shivaansh Kapoor 15-2 in the quarterfinal.

The semifinal brought another Indian opponent, Ashwini Shaurya, but Esiovwa-Thompson held his nerve to win 15-11 and set up a final showdown with Vemani.

Speaking after his victory, Esiovwa-Thompson said he was delighted to have achieved the feat in Nigeria in front of his family and home supporters.

“I’m very happy with what I did. A lot of training went into this, a lot of dedication, a lot of blood, sweat and tears.

“I’m just happy that I’m in Nigeria. I won in Nigeria in front of the Nigerians, in front of my grandma and grandpa.

“I’m just so excited to just get all this atmosphere and everything just coming to me now,” he said.

The teenager said he only realised the magnitude of his achievement shortly before the final.

“I didn’t realise that until before the final. I knew the fencer before me, so I was just trying. I wasn’t really thinking about that.

“But now that you’re saying that, I’m just pleased. I’m just pleased that I’m representing my country, representing my country in front of my family, in front of the fans.

“And yeah, I’m just excited,” he said.

On the support from the home crowd, Esiovwa-Thompson said it was an experience he would not forget.

“It was great. It was the first time anything like that’s ever happened to me. This is the first time where I’ve had loads of fans like that.

“Everything just hit me when I was on the stage and I was fencing.

“Before I was fencing, after I was fencing, it was great,” he said.

Esiovwa-Thompson, who previously represented Great Britain, said his decision to switch allegiance was driven by his ambition to represent Nigeria at the Olympic Games.

“I want to represent Nigeria at the 2028 Olympics. So, that was the main factor in my decision to switch.

“I’ve always kind of wanted to switch to Nigeria because I have more family over there, more friends,” he said.

Alogba Ibrahim, coach of the Nigerian fencing team, described the teenager’s victory as a huge boost to fencing in Nigeria.

Ibrahim said the achievement had given other Nigerian athletes someone to look up to and had strengthened their belief that they could also succeed at the highest level.

“I think it is a huge blessing to the sport of fencing in Nigeria.

“All our athletes are pleased to have someone that they can at least look up to because most of our athletes, are very good but they always fall short.

“So, seeing someone that can do that allows them to feel like they can do it also,” he said.

According to him, the achievement has already inspired other athletes to become more committed to the sport.

“Most of our athletes today have been saying, now I am committed, now I am ready. So, they actually want to do it, seeing that sort of thing happening.

“At this point, I am thinking everything is possible,” Ibrahim said.

He added that the success had also attracted renewed interest in Nigeria’s fencing programme, with more top athletes showing interest in joining the federation.

Adeyinka Samuel, President of the Commonwealth Fencing Federation, described his election to the position as a great achievement for Nigeria and Africa.

Samuel, the first African to occupy the position, said his administration would focus on improving the federation’s operations, strengthening partnerships and promoting greater inclusivity among Commonwealth countries.

“I think it’s a great achievement for Nigeria; I think it’s a great achievement for Africa, being the president of the Commonwealth Fencing Federation.

“There’s a lot of work ahead, but I think that, based on what my vision is and what my plans are, there are a lot of great things ahead,” he said.

He said one of his major priorities was to establish stronger relationships with other organisations and introduce development programmes that would benefit Commonwealth member countries.

Samuel also identified inclusivity and equal opportunities for all federations as key areas of his administration.

He said his experience working in Africa would help him better understand the challenges facing fencing on the continent and develop appropriate programmes to address them.

On grassroots development, Samuel said the federation had been working with schools to discover and develop young talent.

He said partnerships with manufacturers would also help make fencing equipment more affordable and accessible to young athletes.

Meanwhile, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who officially declared the championship open, described sports as a major unifying force.

Sanwo-Olu welcomed the athletes and officials to Lagos, saying the state was proud to host the championship and provide an avenue for participants from different countries to experience its hospitality.

“Sports is still one major thing that brings everybody together. It doesn’t matter where you’re from or what your background is; sport is usually a unifier.

“It’s a leveller and it’s a unifier. You cannot but ensure that sports continues to rally the entire world together,” he said.

The governor commended the organisers, particularly the leadership of the Commonwealth Fencing Federation, for bringing the championship to Lagos.

He assured the organisers and athletes of the state government’s support, saying the government was committed to promoting excellence and using sports to place Lagos and Nigeria on the global map.

Sanwo-Olu also encouraged the visiting athletes and officials to experience Lagos beyond the competition, describing the state as a city rich in culture, entertainment and hospitality.

The governor urged the participants to leave with memorable experiences of Lagos and Nigeria.

NAN reports that the 2026 Commonwealth Fencing Championships is being hosted in Lagos, bringing together fencers from Commonwealth countries to compete across different age categories and fencing disciplines.

Esiovwa-Thompson’s historic victory gave Nigeria a major breakthrough at the championship and provided strong inspiration for the next generation of Nigerian fencers. (NAN)

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