By Victor Kanayo
Athletes and officials from seven African countries, including Nigeria, Algeria, Cameroon, Egypt, South Africa, Togo, and Tunisia, are currently in Wuxi, China, to compete in the 2025 World Junior and Cadet Fencing Championships.
The competition, which officially kicks off on Tuesday, 8 April, will conclude on 15 April.
For Team Nigeria, a six-man squad is brewing with confidence.
The Squad, Their Reactions
The squad comprises four boys and two girls, led by 17-year-old Inkosi Brou, the country’s highest-ranked fencer.
Brou, the grandson of the former Director-General of NAFDAC, is Nigeria’s most active fencer, having competed in over five tournaments so far in 2025.
He is also the first Nigerian fencer to win a medal in an international event.
Brou aims to improve his world ranking ahead of the 2025 African Senior Championships in Lagos this June.
“My target is to make the top 16 in the junior men’s sabre individual event, improve my junior FIE rank, and perform better than I did last year at the Junior/Cadet World Championships in Saudi Arabia,” Brou said.
The squad also includes the Idongesit siblings, all making their international debut for Nigeria in China.
Eighteen-year-old Mahathir Idongesit aims to finish in the top eight in his first world junior championship.
Fourteen-year-old Mahadi Idongesit is resolute in his ambition to reach the podium.
Thirteen-year-old Sara Idongesit is looking to gain valuable experience in her maiden international outing.
“My target in China is to reach the top 16 and give it everything I have. I see this as a valuable opportunity to learn and grow. No matter who I fence against, I’ll give it my all,” she said.
US-based Peluola Akinbamiro, who competed at this year’s African Junior Championships in Angola, has modest ambitions but remains hopeful.
“I am hoping to make it to the top eight or higher and that everything will run smoothly,” the 13-year-old said.
The World Cadets and Juniors Fencing Championships are an annual international competition hosted by the International Fencing Federation (FIE).
