The 23rd African Fencing Championships kicked off on June 25, 2025, at Charterhouse Lagos, with thrilling performances from top fencers.
In the Men’s Individual Épée event, defending champion Mohamed El-Sayed successfully retained his title, edging out fellow Egyptian Mahmoud Had Mohsen 11-10 in a closely contested final.
El-Sayed, ranked World No. 1, dominated the early rounds with impressive performances. However, he faced a stern test in the semifinals, where he narrowly defeated his brother, Mahmoud El-Sayed, 15-14 in a thrilling bout.
In the Women’s Individual Foil event, Sara Amr of Egypt captured her first African title with a commanding 15-8 victory over Isabel Esteban of Côte d’Ivoire in the final. Amr had earlier overcome her compatriot and 2024 bronze medallist, Noha Hany, 15-13 in the semifinals.
After her victory, Amr attributed her success to her calm and focused approach. “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,” she said.
Esteban, who caused a major upset by defeating top seed Malak Hamza of Egypt 15-8 in the semifinals, settled for silver after falling short against Amr in the final.
