Lagos, Nigeria: In a landmark moment for Indian sports, the Indian fencing contingent etched its name into the history books by capturing its maiden overall title at the Commonwealth Fencing Championships 2026 in Lagos, Nigeria on Wednesday.
The Indian squad dominated the four-day competition in Lagos, Nigeria, finishing at the top of the standings with an unprecedented haul of 35 medals - 13 Gold, 8 Silver, and 14 Bronze across both the U23 and Senior categories.
This dominant performance earned India the prestigious Wilkinson Sword Trophy, an honor awarded by the Commonwealth Fencing Federation since 1982 to the top-performing nation at the championships.
A Grand Final-Day Blitz In Senior Team Events
The crowning glory came on the final day as Indian fencers put on a Masterclass in team tactics. Competing across six Senior Team events, India captured five out of six Gold medals on offer:
Men's Sabre - Gold
Women's Sabre - Gold
Men's Epee - Gold
Women's Epee - Gold
Women's Foil - Gold
Men's Foil - Silver
How the Four-Day Campaign Unfolded
India’s path to overall glory was built on consistent excellence throughout the tournament:
Day 1 (U23 Individual Events)
India kicked off the tournament in explosive style, securing 17 medals (4 Gold, 4 Silver, 9 Bronze).
Highlights included Nikhil Wagh leading a clean sweep of the Men's Sabre podium, along with individual gold medal runs from Joys Ashita (Women's Foil), Prachi Lohan (Women's Épée), and Jeferlin (Women's Sabre).
Day 2 (Senior Individual Events)
India added 7 medals (1 Gold, 2 Silver, 4 Bronze). Tanishka Khatri and Khushi Dabhade headlined the day with a memorable Gold-Silver finish in the Women's Epee.
Day 3 (Senior Individual Events)
India bagged 5 more medals, including 3 Golds courtesy of standout individual performances by Kanaglakshmi (Women's Foil), Rajendran Shanthimol Sherjin (Men's Epee), and Karan Singh (Men's Sabre).
Day 4 (Senior Team Events)
The squad closed out the championships in style, winning 5 team gold medals to cement India’s position at the top of the overall table.
Medal Tally Summary
Category Gold Silver Bronze
Combined Total 13 8 14
While Indian trailblazers such as Olympian Bhavani Devi had previously claimed individual women’s sabre gold medals at the 2018 and 2022 editions, the Lagos campaign marked the first time India dominated the championships across both senior and U-23 events.
