The medals are stacking up after day two of the 23rd African Fencing Championships in Lagos, with two more disciplines decided at the 2025 tournament on Thursday.
One hundred and fifty fencers from 18 countries across the continent are competing at Charterhouse Lagos.
In the women’s epee, Kenya’s Alexandra Ndolo reaffirmed her dominance on the continent with a gritty title defence, defeating Egypt’s Shirwit Gaber 15-8 in the final.
From the preliminary rounds, Ndolo was in imperious form, dispatching her opponents with ease. However, her semi-final clash against Ivory Coast’s Oceane Tahe proved to be her toughest test.
Ndolo led for most of the bout, at one point holding a 13-10 advantage. But Tahe mounted a late comeback, leveling the score at 14-14. In a tense final exchange, Ndolo secured the decisive point to win 15-14 and book her place in the final.
“She’s one of the rising stars in African fencing. It was a tough match, but I’m glad I held on,” Ndolo said.
Egypt’s Ahmed Hesham also made a sensational debut at the tournament on Thursday, capturing gold in the individual men’s sabre event.
Competing in his first senior continental championship, Hesham stunned the field with a composed and commanding performance, culminating in a 15-11 victory over compatriot and 2024 Olympic silver medallist Adham Moataz in the final.
The bout began with Hesham taking an early lead, only for Moataz to level the score at 4-4. But the debutant quickly regained control, pulling away with a flurry of precise attacks to seal the win 15-7. His triumphant roar at the end of the match underscored the significance of the moment.
“It was very hard because I faced a lot of tough opponents on the way to the final. Of course, my teammate in the final was an experienced fencer. I’m proud of this moment—it’s my first African Senior Championships, and I came out with gold. I’m happy with my efforts today,” Hesham said.
The championships continue on Friday (today), with action in the individual men’s foil and women’s sabre events.
The PUNCH
