For the first time ever, India is set to host the Senior Asian Fencing Championship 2026, scheduled at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi. The event will witness Asia’s best players in competition from June 18 to 26. This event marks a milestone step in Indian sports history, widening its options and categories.
The hosting right was given to India in a decision taken by the Fencing Confederation of Asia (FCA) during the 38th General Assembly held in Tashkent. The fencing championship in New Delhi is a step towards the expansion of the fencing sport in the South Asia region. Following this event, New Delhi will also host the 39th FCA General Assembly in 2026.
The Championship in New Delhi will be the only qualifying option for Indian fencers in the 2026 season for the Asia Games scheduled in September. India’s chance to host an international fencing event comes in light of Bhavani Devi’s contribution to the country in the sport. She has competed against elite athletes, including those from the Asian regions, in several international tournaments, making her an important figure in Indian fencing. Her journey is what drives inspiration for the championship taking place in New Delhi, India.
India’s Bhavani Devi’s journey in fencing
Bhavani’s career in fencing started with her first international medal in a team event at the 2009 Junior Commonwealth Championships held in Malaysia. Her team bagged the bronze title in the tournament. Meanwhile, her first individual medal came in the 2012 Junior Commonwealth Championships in the USA, where she won bronze.
Her first gold medal came at the 2014 Tuscany Cup in Italy. Her prominence followed in the U-23 Asian Championships, where she bagged a silver in the 2014 edition followed by a bronze in 2015. Later, in 2017, she got India its first senior international gold at the 2017 Women’s World Cup satellite tournament held in Reykjavik, Iceland. The following year, in 2018, she bagged a gold medal at the Commonwealth Championships, along with a silver and bronze in the Women’s World Cup.
In the 2020 Tokyo Games, Bhavani created history as the first Indian fencer to make the Olympics debut, but she unfortunately lost her game against World No. 3 Manon Brunet. But she compensated for it later at the 2022 Commonwealth Championships held in London, where she won a gold medal. She then went on to win a bronze medal in the 2023 Asian Fencing Championships held in Wuxi, China. The victory was historic as she got India its first-ever medal in the event. She lost her semi-finals match against Uzbekistan’s Zaynab Dayibekova by 15-14.
Bhavani was not qualified enough to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics after losing her semi-finals match in the Asia Oceania zonal qualifiers held in the UAE.
