Oluwafolayemi Akinyosoye wins Nigeria's first Commonwealth sabre medal

Oluwafolayemi Akinyosoye has secured Nigeria's first international medal in the men's senior sabre event. The 21-year-old won a bronze medal during the 2026 Commonwealth Fencing Championships held in Lagos.

Akinyosoye's path to the podium included a 15-6 victory over England's Charles Gellett in the round of 16. He followed this with a 15-12 win against India's Bebit Bright in the quarterfinals. His run ended in the semi-finals when he lost 15-10 to Australia's Yoongi Shim.

The Nigerian fencer competed despite suffering a hand injury early in the competition. He managed to continue the tournament to reach the medal standings.

Akinyosoye is currently Nigeria's highest-ranked senior sabre fencer. He previously represented England at the cadet and junior levels before switching his allegiance to Nigeria. His rise follows a performance at the 2025 African Fencing Championships, where he reached the quarterfinals and defeated Tunisia's Olympic silver medalist Fares Ferjani.

This bronze medal contributes to a successful start for Team Nigeria at the Lagos championships, which includes medals in both wheelchair and able-bodied fencing. The competition is scheduled to continue until August 14.