Nigerian siblings Sarah and Mahathir Idongesit recorded mixed outcomes at the FIE Junior World Cup in Cairo, Egypt, as they gained crucial international exposure ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Championships.

Sarah delivered an encouraging performance in the women's epee, advancing from Pool 4, which featured seven fencers, in what was her debut appearance at the competition. Her campaign, however, ended in the knockout round after a loss to Russia's Viktoria Ramenskova.Mahathir faced a more demanding test at the tournament and was unable to progress beyond the group stage, having been drawn against several top-ranked young fencers from across the globe.

Despite the contrasting results, both athletes viewed the competition as an important developmental milestone.

"Competing in Egypt has added more knowledge to me, especially going up against some of the best fencers in the world. This is a rare opportunity I truly cherish, and I hope to attend more tournaments ahead of the Commonwealth Championships in Nigeria later this year," Sarah said.

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Mahathir echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing growth over results: "I had no expectations for this competition, and that took away the pressure. I aimed to improve and gain experience, which I hope to build on before the Commonwealth Championships later in the year," he explained.

The two-day FIE-sanctioned tournament attracted fencers from more than 30 countries, highlighting the depth and quality of competition on display.