India tops overall medal tally to lift Wilkinson Sword Trophy at Commonwealth Fencing C’ship

Lagos (Nigeria): The Indian fencing contingent created history by winning the overall championship title at the Commonwealth Fencing Championship 2026. Team India completed a spectacular four-day campaign with an unprecedented total of 35 medals—13 gold, 8 silver and 14 bronze across both U-23 and senior competitions.

The historic victory culminated with an overwhelming performance in the senior team competitions. Indian fencers asserted absolute supremacy across all disciplines, capturing five gold medals out of the six contested team events.

Team India secured top honours in men’s sabre, women’s sabre, men’s epee, women’s epee, and women’s foil, alongside a hard-fought silver medal in men’s foil. This remarkable final sweep cemented India’s position at the top of the leaderboards and officially earned the country the prestigious Wilkinson Sword Trophy — awarded since 1982 by the Commonwealth Fencing Federation to the nation with the best overall results.

Team success capped off three previous days of exceptional individual performances in Lagos. The campaign kicked off on Day 1 with a massive 17-medal haul in the U-23 individual events (4 gold, 4 silver, 9 bronze), featuring a complete podium sweep in men’s sabre led by gold medallist Nikhil Wagh, alongside individual gold medals from Joys Ashita (women’s foil), Prachi Lohan (women’s epee), and Jeferlin (women’s sabre).

On Day 2, Team India transitioned into senior individual action, collecting 7 medals (1 gold, 2 silver, 4 bronze), headlined by a gold-silver finish from Tanishka Khatri and Khushi Dabhade in senior women’s epee.

On Day 3, Indian fencers added 5 more medals (3 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze) with dominant gold-medal runs from Kanaglakshmi (Senior Women’s Foil), Rajendran Shanthimol Sherjin (Senior Men’s Épée), and Singh Karan Singh (Senior Men’s Sabre).

Behind the athletes’ victory was a dedicated support system led by coaches Bharatji Thakor, Shrihari Pise, and Shankar Narayanan, physiotherapist Amruta Balkawade, and team manager Manu Tyagi, whose tactical guidance, physical conditioning, and event management proved essential throughout the four-day competition.

Expressing immense pride in the historic achievement, Rajeev Mehta, secretary general of the Fencing Association of India, stated, “I am incredibly proud of our entire contingent every single athlete, coach, and support staff member whose untiring dedication made this historic victory possible. Lifting the Commonwealth Overall Championship title for the very first time is a testament to the talent, discipline, and hard work within Indian fencing. This monumental achievement will serve as a massive boost of confidence for our fencers and will undoubtedly create strong positive momentum as we prepare for upcoming international tournaments and major global championships.”

IANS