The Commonwealth Fencing Championships will begin in Lagos on Sunday, with more than 250 athletes from over 20 countries expected to compete during the six-day tournament.

The championship, which ends on Friday, is being hosted at Rugby School in Eko Atlantic City and marks the first time the event will be held in Africa since Cape Town, South Africa, hosted the competition about a decade ago.

President of the Nigerian Fencing Federation, Adeyinka Samuel, disclosed the number of participating athletes at a press conference in Lagos on Saturday.

Samuel expressed confidence in Nigeria’s preparedness for the competition, saying the home team would draw motivation from the support of local fans.

He said Nigerian athletes had trained extensively and were determined to perform strongly against some of the best fencers from across the Commonwealth.

The federation president said Nigeria was targeting medals in the under-23, veterans and wheelchair fencing categories, with the team aiming for gold.

According to him, the championship has attracted about 350 entries across the under-23, senior, veteran and wheelchair categories.

Samuel said organisers had put measures in place to meet technical requirements and ensure effective logistics and athlete welfare throughout the tournament.

He said transportation arrangements, venue operations and coordination among officials had been carefully planned to facilitate the smooth running of the event.

The federation president also assured participating athletes of adequate medical support, including first aid personnel and a standby ambulance for emergencies.

President of the Commonwealth Fencing Federation, Marie-France Dufour, described the Lagos edition as a landmark event, highlighting the introduction of individual under-23 events and the elevation of wheelchair fencing to a full medal event.

She said the federation had worked with the Nigerian Fencing Federation to provide athletes with a quality competition environment and a memorable experience.

Dufour urged participants to uphold friendship, mutual respect and sportsmanship throughout the championship, stressing that while only some athletes would emerge winners, all participants could share in the values of the Commonwealth.

Nigerian MP fencer Wisdom Okanlawo expressed confidence in his chances of securing a medal, saying representing Nigeria was a source of pride.

Okanlawo acknowledged the strength of the competition, noting that participating countries had brought their top athletes, but pledged to give his best.

He also credited fencing with providing him with educational and international opportunities and acknowledged the support of his family and federation officials.

A member of the local organising committee, Olaitan Ogunbiyi, described Nigeria’s hosting of the championships as a major achievement for the sport.

Ogunbiyi said staging the event had required extensive preparation and collaboration among government authorities, sponsors, media organisations and parents.

He added that the competition would give fencers from across the Commonwealth an opportunity to compete at a high level while further promoting the growth of fencing in Nigeria.