It was a mixed outing for Nigerian siblings Sarah and Mahathir Idongesit at the FIE Junior World Cup in Cairo, Egypt, as they sought international exposure ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Championships.
In the women’s epee, Sarah impressed in her debut by advancing from a seven-fencer group in Pool 4, before being stopped in the knockout round by Russia’s Viktoria Ramenskova.
Mahathir faced tougher competition and did not progress beyond the group stage, drawn against some of the world’s top young fencers.
Despite the results, both siblings described the tournament as a crucial learning experience.
“Competing in Egypt has added more knowledge to me, especially going up against some of the best fencers in the world. This is a rare opportunity I truly cherish, and I hope to attend more tournaments ahead of the Commonwealth Championships in Nigeria later this year,” Sarah said.
Mahathir added: “I had no expectations for this competition, and that took away the pressure. I aimed to improve and gain experience, which I hope to build on before the Commonwealth Championships later in the year.”
The two-day FIE-sanctioned event featured participants from over 30 countries, highlighting the depth and competitiveness of the tournament.
Meanwhile, Nigerian fencing coach Bola Suru, supported by the International Fencing Federation (FIE), was part of the technical team in Cairo. She also contributed to a three-day FIE training camp preceding the competition, designed to prepare athletes for the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026.
According to Suru, the camp, supported through Olympic Solidarity, offered valuable exposure and development opportunities, further strengthening Nigeria’s pathway in international fencing.
