Senior World Fencing Championship 2026: On the first day of the Senior World Fencing Championship 2026 held at the AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong, Indian women fencers created a new history in the world of sports with an amazing performance. India’s Tanisha Khatri and Prachi Lohan made it to the main table of 64 in the women’s individual AP event amid the presence of more than 1,000 players from over 100 countries. She became the first Indian woman AP fencer to reach this stage in the prestigious international competition, adding a new chapter in the country’s sporting history.

A sensational victory against the Chinese player

In the women’s individual AP category, Tanisha and Prachi showcased their best strategy and fortitude. Both players performed well in the round-robin pool stage and preliminary direct elimination bouts. The biggest bang of the competition came when both Tanisha Khatri and Prachi Lohan defeated the world’s top-ranked Chinese fencer Yang Jingwen in the final elimination round. With this sensational victory, the Indian fencers stunned the opposition and cemented their place in the main draw.

Appreciated by the Fencing Association

India has fielded a total 24-member strong team in the nine-day World Championship, with 12 men and 12 women competing in the foil, AP and saber categories. Rajeev Mehta, Secretary General of Fencing Confederation of Asia and Fencing Association of India, while congratulating the players and coaching staff for this achievement, said that securing a place in the main table of 64 is a landmark moment for Indian fencing. His success will attract countless young players from the country to the sport.

Performance of men

On the other hand, in the men’s individual foil event, Indian players did not succeed in advancing. Among male players, Sachin was ranked 107th, Aditya 137th, Sanasam Hemash Singh 143rd and Tejas Manoj Patil 149th. Now Tanisha Khatri and Prachi Lohan will battle it out in the main table of 64 on the 25th, where they will aim to finish in the top 32 to keep their medal hopes alive. Apart from this, India will be represented by Shergin Rajendran Shantimul, Joseph Bennett, Shiv Magesh Sadashivan Nirmala and Shaurya Ashwini in the men’s foil event and Shreya Gupta, Jefferlyn Jani and Shruti Joshi in the women’s saber event.