The International Fencing Federation (FIE) has chosen Nigerian teenage fencer Wisdom Okanlawon as one of five athletes from 30 African countries to attend a high-performance training camp and compete at the 2025 Cadet & Junior World Championships in Wuxi, China.
According to the FIE, the training camp, which takes place from April 1 to 12, is organized in collaboration with Olympic Solidarity and aims to identify and support top talent from across Africa, providing athletes with world-class training and competition opportunities.
The camp will bring together some of the most promising fencers from around the world.
In a statement issued by the Nigerian Fencing Federation, the 18-year-old’s inclusion in this elite group underscores his remarkable achievements in the sport and his potential to excel at the highest level. His selection recognises his exceptional skill, dedication, and potential to represent Africa on the global stage.
The training camp will offer Okanlawon the chance to refine his skills under the guidance of of top coaches.
After the camp, he will compete at the World Championships from April 13 to 15, where he will face off against the best junior fencers globally.
“This opportunity is a significant milestone not only for Okanlawon but also for Nigerian and African fencing. It highlights the growing recognition of African athletes in international sports and provides a platform for Okanlawon to showcase his talent on a global scale.
Okanlawon’s journey serves as an inspiration to aspiring athletes across the continent, demonstrating that hard work and dedication can lead to extraordinary opportunities.”
Meanwhile, the President of the Nigerian Fencing Federation, Adeyinka Samuel, said the federation would continue to strive to source more opportunities for athletes to sharpen their skills.
He described Okanlawon as a homegrown fencer who has distinguished himself and serves as a role model to others.
He said, “I am not surprised that Okanlawon was selected because he has shown a lot of promise since we took him up. He is a good leader among his colleagues, and for us, this is what we are promoting and encouraging our athletes to imbibe so that they can be exposed to opportunities like this.
“We are happy that he will be able to train under top coaches and also compete against the best fencers in the world.”
This is coming a few weeks after Nigeria hosted the Fencing World Cup to become the first Sub-Saharan African country to host the event.
Fencing is a combat sport that features sword fighting.
The three disciplines of modern fencing are the foil, the épée, and the sabre; each discipline uses a different kind of blade, which shares the same name, and employs its own rules.
