Team Nigeria athletes say they are well-prepared and confident of winning medals at the 2026 Commonwealth Fencing Championships, scheduled to take place in Lagos from 9 to 14 August.
Some members of the team and officials expressed their optimism in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos.
Among the athletes expected to spearhead Nigeria’s campaign are Adebodunri Thomas and Alex Chizim Aninyei, who represented the country at the 2025 African Fencing Championships.
Thomas, Nigeria’s top-ranked female épée fencer, said that although the championship would be more competitive than previous tournaments, she was optimistic about making a strong impact.
“I have very high expectations, and I think it is going to be really challenging. This will not be like the African Championships. I hope to reach the last 16 again, as I did at the Junior African Championships. More importantly, fencing against some of the world’s top athletes is a great opportunity. I have trained every day since returning from school, working with my coach on new techniques, and I am eager to put them into practice,” she said.
