Nigeria’s rising fencing prospects, Mahadi and Mahathir Idongesit, are set to showcase their talents on the global stage as they join 60 competitors at the International Fencing Federation (FIE) Junior Epee World Cup this weekend in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
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The participation of the duo marks another significant step in Nigeria’s gradual return to top-tier international fencing competitions. President of the Nigeria Fencing Federation, Adeyinka Samuel, expressed delight over the team’s resurgence, highlighting the importance of consistent international exposure.
“We are excited that our fencers are back in action after months of inactivity, particularly with the return of fencing tournaments,” Samuel said.
“We are confident that their participation will help them gain valuable experience ahead of the Commonwealth Championships.
We hope more of our fencers will return to action and begin competing at top level, because they need these experiences to measure up.”
The Idongesit brothers made their international debut earlier this year at the 2025 African Championships in Lagos.
Now, they face an even sterner test as they go up against some of the world’s highest-ranked junior fencers. Mahadi enters the competition ranked 595 globally, while Mahathir sits at 608.
Both will look to make their mark against elite opposition, including Egypt’s world No. 4 Youssef Shamel and No. 8 Eslam Osama—two of the continent’s most dominant forces in junior epee.
The Tashkent event will host athletes from a diverse field of nations, including Azerbaijan, Egypt, Greece, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Chinese Taipei, and Uzbekistan, promising a highly competitive atmosphere.
As Nigeria continues its push to reestablish its footprint on the global fencing circuit, the performance of the Idongesit brothers in Tashkent will be closely watched as a sign of the nation’s progress and growing ambition in the sport.
