Defending champion Mohamed El-Sayed of Egypt successfully retained his title in the Men’s Individual Épée at the 23rd African Fencing Championships, while Sara Amr claimed her first continental gold in the Women’s Individual Foil on Wednesday, June 25, at Charterhouse Lagos.
World No. 1 El-Sayed edged fellow Egyptian Mahmoud Had Mohsen in a tense final, clinching an 11–10 victory to become the first gold medallist of the tournament. He dominated the early rounds, but his semifinal clash against his brother, Mahmoud El-Sayed, tested his mettle—winning by the slimmest margin, 15–14, in a thrilling showdown.
In the women’s foil category, second seed Sara Amr captured her maiden African title with a commanding 15–8 win over Isabel Esteban of Côte d’Ivoire. Amr had earlier defeated her Egyptian teammate and 2024 bronze medallist, Noha Hany, 15–13 in the semifinals.
Esteban’s silver medal run came after a major upset, knocking out top seed Malak Hamza of Egypt with a stunning 15–8 victory in the semifinal round.
After the final, an elated Sara Amr reflected on her journey:
“I focused on staying calm and managing each match one at a time. It wasn’t easy, but I’m proud of how I handled the pressure.”
The Egyptian team’s strong start sets the tone for what promises to be an action-packed tournament, as more fencing disciplines unfold in the coming days.
