India created history on Wednesday by winning their maiden overall title at the Commonwealth Fencing Championships 2026 in Lagos, Nigeria.
India finished the four-day competition with a record 35 medals – 13 gold, eight silver and 14 bronze – across the U23 and senior categories to top the standings.
The campaign ended on a high as Indian fencers won five of the six senior team gold medals on offer. India triumphed in men’s sabre, women’s sabre, men’s épée, women’s épée and women’s foil, while settling for silver in men’s foil.
Their dominant showing earned India the Wilkinson Sword Trophy, which is awarded by the Commonwealth Fencing Federation since 1982 to the nation with the best overall performance at the championships.
While Indian trailblazers such as Olympian Bhavani Devi had previously won individual women’s sabre gold medals at the 2018 and 2022 editions, India’s triumph in Lagos marks the first time the country dominated the championships across both the senior and U23 categories.
The Indian team’s success capped three days of impressive individual fencing performances.
India began their campaign with 17 medals in the U23 individual events on the opening day – four gold, four silver and nine bronze. Nikhil Wagh led a clean sweep of the men’s sabre podium, while Joys Ashita (women’s foil), Prachi Lohan (women’s épée) and Jeferlin (women’s sabre) also won gold.
India added seven medals – one gold, two silver and four bronze – in the senior individual events on Day 2. Tanishka Khatri and Khushi Dabhade led the charge with a gold-silver finish in the women’s épée.
The medal tally grew by another five on Wednesday, with India claiming three gold, one silver and one bronze. Kanaglakshmi (women’s foil), Rajendran Shanthimol Sherjin (men’s épée) and Karan Singh (men’s sabre) all won gold.
India finished with five senior team titles on the final day to secure the overall championship crown.
The Commonwealth Fencing Championships have been held among Commonwealth nations since fencing was removed as a core sport from the Commonwealth Games. The championships were first staged in 1974.
read more: https://www.olympics.com/en/news/commonwealth-fencing-championships-2026-india-overall-title-win
