India continues dominant run at Commonwealth Fencing Championship with 7-medal haul on Day 2
Lagos, August 11
India's fencing contingent continued its exceptional performance at the Commonwealth Fencing Championship in Lagos, Nigeria, clinching 7 medals on the second day of competition on Tuesday.
Competing across the Senior Individual events in Women's Sabre, Women's Epee, and Men's Foil, Team India added 1 Gold, 2 Silver, and 4 Bronze medals to its growing tally, further establishing the nation's depth on the senior circuit, according to a press release from Fencing Association of India.
The Indian squad staged a stellar display in the Senior Women's Epee event, asserting strong control over the podium. Tanishka Khatri captured the Gold medal with a brilliant performance, while teammate Khushi Dabhade secured the Silver.
Prachi Lohan added to the tally by sharing the Bronze with Australia's Harrison Asley, giving India a commanding three-medal victory in the discipline.
In the Senior Women's Sabre individual category, India delivered another impressive performance by locking down three podium spots. Aakhari fought her way to a hard-earned Silver medal behind England's Brierley, who won Gold, while Jefarlin and Shruti Joshi both claimed Bronze medals for India.
While, in the Senior Men's Foil event, Tejas Patil delivered a strong effort against a tough international field, securing a Bronze medal alongside England's David William, behind Gold medalist Alex Tophalidas of Cyprus and Silver medalist Oliver Starange of England.
The ongoing success of the squad has been backed by the Indian coaching and support staff, including coaches Bharatji Thakor, Shrihari Pise, and Shankar Narayanan, physiotherapist Amruta Balkawade, and team manager Manu Tyagi.
Their guidance, preparation, and support have been instrumental in keeping the athletes performing at their best as the tournament continues in Lagos through August 14.
Rajeev Mehta, Secretary General of the Fencing Association of India, commended all the medal-winning athletes, coaches, support staff, and officials for their untiring dedication and outstanding results.
The federation expressed full confidence that the Indian contingent will maintain its winning momentum and continue to deliver strong performances throughout the remainder of the championship.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Amazing performance! Our girls are dominating and making India proud on the African soil. The women's epee event was almost a clean sweep - Gold, Silver, and Bronze! This is the result of consistent hard work by the athletes and the coaching staff. Shoutout to Coach Bharatji Thakor for building this winning unit from scratch. Just imagine what they could achieve with better funding and modern equipment.
Kudos to all the medal winners! But let's be honest with ourselves - our male fencers still have a long way to go. Only one bronze in Foil while the women are winning gold. We need to invest more in male fencing categories and grassroots scouting. Still, proud of the overall performance and especially Tejas Patil's bronze against some tough international competition. More power to the team! 💪
Incredible news to wake up to! The fact that Indian women are outperforming in a niche sport like fencing is testimony to the changing sports culture in our country. Parents, please encourage your daughters in sports beyond cricket. These girls are also balancing education and athletics - imagine the discipline! 🏅🇮🇳
When I read this news, I remember how Fencing Association of India was struggling a decade ago. It's great to see them producing results consistently now. The coaching staff deserves most of the credit for this transformation. However, I want to stress that we need more exposure for our fencers in Europe where the standard is much higher than the Commonwealth. This is just the beginning, I hope we see these same athletes at the Olympics soon!
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