Venkateshwar Ramesh Rao grabbed one individual and team gold each and one team silver in mens Category-A epee events to finish with a total of three gold and one silver. He secured one gold earlier in individual foil.

Omm Prakash Behera also captured one individual and team gold each and one team silver in mens Category-B epee events to take his total to three gold and one silver. He too secured one gold earlier in individual foil.

Rudranarayan Behera won one silver in mens individual Category-B epee, and one gold and silver each team events to in finish with a total of four medals. Earlier, he secured one silver in individual foil.

Pabitra Sahu and Rakhal Kumar Sethy bagged one bronze each in mens Category-A individual epee, and gold and silver each in team epee. Both ended with with four medals apiece. The duo earlier claimed one bronze each in individual foil.

But the para segment of the Commonwealth Fencing Championship 2026, turned out to be an ordinary competition again as only two countries (India and host Nigeria) participated in it. Included for the first time in 2022, the inaugural edition in London also featured two countries (India and host England).

A total of around 20 para-fencers, including 12 from India took part in foil and epee categories of the Lagos Commonwealth Championship, and every one won one or multiple medals. India bagged a total of 24 medals, including 12 gold, eight silver and four bronze. If the sabre category was there, Odisha para-fencers would have won more than 25 medals.

In many events, Indian para-fencers played against themselves to win medals. In order to prepare draws for team events, the two countries were named as A and B teams. Since the Commonwealth Championship was an insignificant event, the Union Government did not bear the participation cost of the Indian para-fencers.

According to reliable sources, there was no trial or competition to select the Indian squad. Bearing their own participation cost was the main criteria. The Paralympic Committee of India asked the interested participants to pay Rs 2,31,500 each. But, in the case of Odisha participants, the State Government footed all the bills.
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TOP: Odisha medal winners pose at the Bhubaneswar airport on their return home from the Commonwealth Para Fencing Championship in Lagos on 15 August 2026.

RIGHT: Odisha para-fencers and the official pose at the Bhubaneswar airport before leaving for the Commonwealth Championship in Lagos, Nigeria.