Nigeria’s Oluwafolayemi Akinyosoye delivered a stunning performance at the 23rd African Fencing Championships to defeat Olympic silver medallist Fares Farjani of Tunisia in the preliminary round.
Akinyosoye pulled off a major upset in the individual men’s sabre event with one of the standout performances in the tournament.
The 20-year-old, who recently switched allegiance to Nigeria after representing England at cadet and junior levels, edged Farjani 5-4 in a tense bout that sent shockwaves through the competition and sparked jubilant celebrations among Nigerian supporters. His victory over the Paris 2024 silver medallist not only marked a personal milestone but also secured his place in the knockout stages.
Akinyosoye carried his momentum into the round of 16, where he defeated Algeria’s Lotfi Ibrihen with a commanding 15-9 win.
However, his impressive run came to an end in the quarterfinals, where he fell 15-8 to sixth seed Ahmed Ferjani of Tunisia.
Despite the loss, Akinyosoye’s spirited display earned widespread applause and signaled a promising future for the young fencer on the continental stage.
Meanwhile, fellow Nigerian Inkosi Brou, a bronze medalist at the African Junior Championships and grandson of the late NAFDAC Director-General Prof. Dora Akunyili, narrowly missed out on a podium finish.
Brou showcased his skill, and composure through the early rounds but was edged out 15-11 by Niger Republic’s fifth seed Evann Girault in the round of 16.
In a surprising twist, defending champion Fares Ferjani also exited the competition early, losing 15-13 to Egypt’s Adham Moataz in the round of 16, further opening up the field in the men’s sabre event.
In the individual women’s epee event, Nigeria’s Sarah Idongesit and Adebodunrin, two of the youngest competitors in the field, advanced from the group stage into the knockout rounds.
Both fencers were eventually eliminated in the round of 32 by more experienced opponents from Morocco and Algeria, but their progression highlighted the growing depth of Nigeria’s fencing talent.
The championships continue on Friday, June 27, with action in the individual men’s foil and women’s sabre events.
