Inkosi Brou wins Nigeria’s first global fencing medal

Nigeria made a remarkable entry into the global fencing scene at the weekend when teenage sensation, Inkosi Brou, won the country’s first-ever medal in the Sabre category, at the World Tournoi Satellite Cup in Iceland.

Competing against some of the world’s elite fencers at the Viking Cup 2024, a Senior World Cup Satellite Sabre Tournament, the world’s No. 67 ranked fencer, Brou, clinched a silver medal after a hard-fought 9-15 match against Iceland’s Andre Mateev.

As the No. 5 seed, Brou began his campaign in the round of 16, defeating Germany’s Magnus De Witt 15-9. He continued his winning streak in the quarterfinals with a close 15-13 victory over Spain’s Oriol Farre.

In the semifinals, Brou faced his biggest hurdle when he met number-one seed, Cristoher Cortez of Ecuador in a tactical and intense match, ultimately advancing to the final with a 15-14 win.

Inkosi, the grandson of former NAFDAC Director General, the late Dora Akunyili, expressed his excitement and inspiration from his performance, which fuels his ambition for a spot at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

“Starting the fencing season with a silver medal at one of my first senior FIE competitions is a great achievement. I am proud to represent Nigeria at this elite competition and continue my quest for a spot at LA 2028. I’d like to thank Akhi Spencer-El, Daryl Homer, Alex Fotiyev, and Tom Seitz for their support during the off-season,” Brou said.
 
Reacting to Brou’s feat, the Nigeria Fencing Federation (NFF) President, Adeyinka Samuel praised the youngster’s efforts and highlighted the significance of this achievement for Nigerian fencing.
  
“We are thrilled with the progress in the sport as it aligns with our prediction to medal at the LA 2028 Olympics