Services boys and Haryana girls emerged team champions in the 33rd Junior National Fencing Championship 2025-26, which was hosted by Odisha State Fencing Association (OSFA), under the auspices of the Department of Sports & Youth Services, Government of Odisha and Fencing Association of India, at Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Cuttack from 5 to 10 January 2026.

Host Odisha fielded a 23-member Odisha squad for this Junior National championship, but failed to win a single medal. According to OSFA general secretary Debendra Kumar Sahoo, a total of 570 young fencers from 23 states participated in the six-day championship. A budget of Rs 52 lakh was estimated for the staging of this National championship.

This is the second second time in three years that OSFA hosted the Junior National Championship in Cuttack. OSFA has also played hosts to the Sub-Junior National Championship four times and Cadet National Championship twice at the same venue since 2014.

NATIONAL FENCING CHAMPIONSHIPS HOSTED BY OSFA:
*     10th Cadet & 15th Sub-Junior National Championship at Cuttack from 9-13 Jan 2014.
*     15th Cadet & 20th Sub-Junior National Championship at Cuttack from 12-16 Sept 2018.
*     22nd Sub-Junior National Championship at Cuttack from 24-26 March 2021.
*     30th Junior National Fencing Championship at Cuttack from 29 June-2 July 2022.    
*     26th Sub-Junior National Championship at Cuttack from 27-30 March 2025.
*     33rd Junior National Championship at Cuttack from 5 to 10 January 2026.

ODISHA SQUAD FOR THE 33RD JUNIOR NATIONAL FENCING CHAMPIONSHIP:
Male foil: Debashish Patel, Swagat Patel, Padmalochan Naik, Abinash Swain.
Male epee: Dibyanshu Bahalia, Likshit Kumar Biswal, Hiseth Khora, Rohan Das.
Male sabre: Kanha Gadtiya, Manas Padhan, Promjit Beshra, Sameer Parabhue.
Female foil: Pragyansa Mohanty, Smruti Prava Arun, Banshika Swain, Rukmani Rani Suna.
Female epee: Dalirani Majhi, Sulangna Suel, Astha Gajendra, Shruti Prava Arun.
Female sabre: Jigyansa Mohanty, Advika Gupta, Jharana Seth.
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PHOTO: Players and officials of host Odisha squad pose with guests at the opening ceremony of the 33rd Junior National Fencing Championship in Cuttack on 5 January 2026.