British Fencing president Pat Aiyenuro believes next month’s Commonwealth Fencing Federation Championships in Lagos will produce a wider distribution of medals, arguing that rising standards across member nations will make it harder for any single country to dominate again—an outcome she contrasts with England’s success in 2022.
The event is set for 9-14 August at Rugby School in Atlantic City, Lagos, and will mark Nigeria as the first African nation to host the senior championships. The competition is expected to draw fencers, federation officials and Commonwealth Fencing Federation leadership figures.
England finished top of the medal standings at the most recent senior edition in London in 2022, collecting 57 medals in total: 22 gold, 10 silver and 25 bronze. Aiyenuro, who is also part of the Executive Committee of the International Fencing Federation, said she expects England to stay among the leading sides, but not to repeat a runaway performance.
“England has consistently been one of the strongest nations in Commonwealth fencing because of the depth of its athlete pathway and the strength of its domestic competition. I expect England to be highly competitive once again,” she said.
She added that the competitive gap is narrowing across the wider Commonwealth. “However, other Commonwealth countries are now just as competitive. I think this year there will be more spread of medals across all nations. Countries such as India, Jamaica, Wales, Australia, South Africa, Canada, Singapore, Mauritius, Kenya, and host nation Nigeria have all invested in developing their programmes. I anticipate very competitive contests across all three weapons, and no team can take success for granted.”
Aiyenuro also highlighted the Nigeria Fencing Federation, pointing to its progress in running major tournaments over the past five years.
Why hosting matters
- Aiyenuro said staging a championships of this scale offers long-term value for the sport.
- She noted that it can raise fencing’s profile while strengthening coaching and officiating standards.
- She added that it helps expand the volunteer base and supports the development of event organisers.
- Looking beyond fencing, she said the championships underline Nigeria’s capacity to host major international sporting occasions, which can increase confidence among other federations and potential investors.
- She pointed to tourism as a source of economic benefit and said the tournament will showcase Nigeria to the broader Commonwealth sporting community.
- Most importantly, Aiyenuro said the event should inspire young athletes by giving them the chance to watch elite competition in their own country.
A separate note attached to the information provided also references the Africa Senior Championships in Ivory Coast, scheduled for 1-5 May 2026, with a photo captioned “NIG” and credited to Eva Pavía (#BizziTeam FIE).
