Egypt’s Ahmed Hesham made a sensational debut at the African Senior Fencing Championships, capturing gold in the individual men’s sabre event, while Kenya’s Alexandra Ndolo successfully defended her women’s epee title on Thursday, June 26, at the Charterhouse in Lagos.
Competing in his first senior continental championship, Hesham stunned the field with a composed and commanding performance, culminating in a 15-11 victory over compatriot and 2024 Olympic silver medallist Adham Moataz in the final.
The bout began with Hesham taking an early lead, only for Moataz to level the score at 4-4. But the debutant quickly regained control, pulling away with a flurry of precise attacks to seal the win 15-7. His triumphant roar at the end of the match underscored the significance of the moment.
“It was very hard because I faced a lot of tough opponents on the way to the final,” Hesham said. “Of course, my teammate in the final was an experienced fencer. I’m proud of this moment—it’s my first African Senior Championships, and I came out with gold. I’m happy with my efforts today.”
In the women’s epee, Kenya’s Alexandra Ndolo reaffirmed her dominance on the continent with a gritty title defence against Egypt’s Shirwit Gaber with a 15-8 win in the final.
From the preliminary rounds, Ndolo was in imperious form, dispatching her opponents with ease. However, her semifinal clash against Côte d’Ivoire’s Oceane Tahe proved to be her toughest test.
Ndolo led for most of the bout, at one point holding a 13-10 advantage. But Tahe mounted a late comeback, levelling the score at 14-14. In a tense final exchange, Ndolo secured the decisive point to win 15-14 and book her place in the final.
“She’s one of the rising stars in African fencing,” Ndolo said of her opponent. “It was a tough match, but I’m glad I held on.”
Ndolo’s consistency and composure throughout the tournament once again highlighted her status as one of Africa’s premier fencers.
