Fast-rising Kenyan fencing teen Kinoti Kiara fought his way to the top of the podium at the African Cadet and Junior Fencing Championships staged in Dakar, Senegal, holding his nerves to lift the men’s Sabre title.
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The 15-year-old maintained his focus throughout the competition, against formidable opposition, defeating Egypt’s Hamza Abuhalwa, who took the silver medal, while Morocco’s Mohamed El Bounjaimi and Togo’s Ilan Tchaa Arou rounded off the medal positions following hard fought semi final appearances.
Kiara’s gold in Senegal follows a steady trajectory of success and comes hot in the heels of another podium finish at the continental stage. In December 2025, he earned a bronze medal in the same category at the African Youth Games in Angola.
Guess who just ruled the piste in Dakar, Senegal? #TeamKenya ’s Kinoti Kiara is the new Africa Cadet and Junior Champion! ⚔️🇰🇪
From the first bout to the final touch, Kinoti stayed sharp taking on Africa’s best young fencers and finishing as champion.
🥇 Kinoti Kiara –… pic.twitter.com/7f99ByTeqh
— TeamKenya (@OlympicsKe) February 20, 2026
Training out of the Tsavora Fencing Official Academy, Kiara has become the face of a burgeoning fencing scene and his victory is an encouraging step towards the growth of the sport in Kenya.
Fred Chege, the president of the Kenya Fencing Federation, welcomed the achievement as a reward for the steady effort being put into athlete development and technical preparation.
