Peluola Akinbamiro a 13-year-old American-based teenage fencer, has announced her decision to represent Nigeria on the international stage.
She is now the second fencer to pick Nigeria over the country they currently reside in, with Folayemi Akinyosoye being the first after she switched from Great Britain to Nigeria.
The teenage fencer is a student of the Fort Bend Fencing Academy, she expressed that her love for Nigeria prompted her to reach out to the Nigerian Fencing Federation.
In a statement released by the federation, the fencer expressed her sentiments.
It read;
“I decided to take up fencing after watching people play with such passion during the World Cup and other events. Fencing has taught me patience and self-awareness. Representing Nigeria is important to me because it is my motherland, and I am proud to wear its colours in international competitions,”
“My goal is to become the best fencer I can be while also pursuing higher education. I want to reach the highest levels in fencing. My parents’ unwavering support has been my biggest motivation. They have dedicated their time and resources to help me succeed in fencing. I am excited about the uniqueness of the sport, especially the thrill of fighting with a sword,”
The current president of the Federation, Adeyinka Samuel also took this opportunity to commend Peluola, while speaking about the current state of fencing in the country.
In his words;
“I am thrilled with Akinbamiro’s decision. Nigeria has the potential to compete with the best in the world, and having talented fencers like her will inspire our homegrown athletes to excel. We believe her addition to the team will positively impact the sport’s fortunes. As she begins her international journey this year, we hope she can bring more medals to Nigeria, especially as we aim to have our athletes compete in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games,”
“We are happy that many of these athletes recognize their origins and want to be part of our efforts to develop the sport in Nigeria, especially as we host the African Championships this year and the Commonwealth Championships next year. Akinbamiro will surely be a valuable addition to our team, given her background in the sport and her young age, as we target the 2028 and 2032 Olympic Games,”
