The president of Fencing Federation of Nigeria (FFN), Adeyinka Samuel has called on sports stakeholders and top officials to consider puttting more intrest in the discipline in order to get representatives from the country who can feature at the Olympic Games.
Sports247 reports that Samuel, who was recently elected to head the Commonwealth Fencing Federation (CFC), gave this charge after seeing a large number of Nigerian fencers garner laurels at the recent championship that the country hosted.
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Samuel, who is also a former active competitor and now the first African to lead the CFC, show the way by example, when he became the first Nigerian sabre fencer to win a medal at the Commonwealth Fencing Championship, as he returned to the piste after 13 years.
He put adise his administrative duties to don full fencing regalia in the men’s sabre veteran category, where he took on fellow-former players from Wales, Australia and Nigeria, with memories of his competitive days coming alive en route to winning a silver medal.
The CFC president overcame three opponents, including compatriot Tonye Sawari, but lost to eventual champion, Oliver Massey of Wales, in a highly exciting performance that fetched him his first medal in the sport, following which he praised the tournament’s organisation.
While tagging it the best championship ever hosted, Samuel disclosed that his next priority is to see the sport reinstated at the Commonwealth Games, then stressed the importance of collaboration between the International Fencing Federation (FIE) and CFC, to expand their reach.
Samuel revealed excitedly: “I am so happy. I featured in two Commonwealth Championships – 2006 and 2010 in Australia – but narrowly missed out on medals. To finally win one now as a veteran is a joy I will cherish for a long time.
“This shows that, with determination, nothing is impossible. I am also proud that Nigeria picked up several medals this time. The performances of our young fencers, alongside our wheelchair athletes, proves that fencing is a serious sport Nigeria must embrace as an Olympic discipline.”
