Bhubaneswar: Half a dozen para fencers from Odisha will be showing off their skills in pursuit for medals in the Commonwealth Para Fencing Championship which got underway in Nigeria’s Lagos on August 9.
The Odisha athletes — Rakhal Kumar Sethi, V Ramesh Rao, Pavitra Sahu, Kumari Malati Panaura, Rudranarayana Behera and Om Prakash Behera – make up for almost 50% of the 13-member Indian team.
Twenty countries — including India, England, South Africa, Australia, Botswana, Kenya, Ghana, New Zealand, Singapore, Namibia and host nation Nigeria — will compete across Senior, U-23, Veteran and Wheelchair categories over the next five days.
The U-23 and Wheelchair events will be making their debut at this year’s Commonwealth fencing championship, which is also being held on African soil fir the first time.