Olakunle Adewale
Oghenegaren Esiovwa-Thompson yesterday made history at the Commonwealth Fencing Championships, winning Nigeria’s first-ever gold medal in the men’s U-23 epee at Rugby School Nigeria in Atlantic City, Lagos.
Competing for Nigeria for the very first time after switching allegiance from England, the 16-year-old stunned the field, brushing aside three Indian opponents on his way to the podium.
His triumph sparked jubilation among fans and marked a defining moment for Nigerian fencing.
To claim the crown, Esiovwa-Thompson produced a master-class in the final, defeating Asian champion Lokesh Vemani of India 15–5.
The Nigerian teenager showed composure and class against his more
experienced rival, while India’s Godwin Natarajan and Ashwini Shaurya settled for bronze medals.
At just 16, Esiovwa-Thompson has already etched his name into Nigeria’s sporting history—not only as the first Nigerian to win a medal at the tournament, but also as the first to capture gold at any international fencing event.
His path to glory was nothing short of dominant. Beginning in Pool 4, he swept through unbeaten to top the group, earning a bye into the round of 16. There, he dispatched South Africa’s Karabo Mathobela 15–7, before overwhelming India’s Shivaansh Kapoor 15–2 in the
quarterfinal.
The semifinal brought a sterner test against Ashwini Shaurya, but backed by the roar of the home crowd, Esiovwa-Thompson edged through 15–11 to set up his final showdown with Vemani.
This breakthrough was the culmination of years of dedication. Before pledging allegiance to Nigeria, Esiovwa-Thompson had already tasted international success—winning gold in the U-13 boys’ epee at the 2022 Wratislavia Challenge and bronze in the cadet men’s epee team event in
Naples, while representing England.
Those early triumphs laid the foundation for the historic achievement he now celebrates with Nigeria.
Elsewhere at the championships, England’s Oliver Strange claimed the first gold medal of the tournament, defeating India’s Manoj Patil in the men’s U-23 foil final, while India’s Singh Sanasam and England’s Thomas James took bronze.