Golds were up for grabs at the African Fencing Championships in Egypt ©FIE

Africa’s best fencing stars got together at the Cairo International Stadium in Nasr City to battle for gold in the sport’s continental championship.

Competitors took part in the 17th edition of the African Fencing Championships with 12 titles up for grabs in Egypt.

In the men’s épée, the home crowd were given something to cheer as Ayman Fayez took the gold by beating Satya Gunput of Mauritius 15-13, while the bronze medals went to Senegal’s Alexandre Bouzaid and Egypt’s Ahmad Elsaghir.

The women’s title was claimed by Gwladys Gbahi Sakoa of the Ivory Coast as she defeated Egyptian Salwa Gaber 15-14 in a closely fought final.

Tunisian Maya Mansouri and Shirwit Gaber collected the bronze medals on offer.

Men’s foil gold was won by Egypt’s Alaaeldin Abouelksassem, the silver medallist from the London 2012 Olympic Games.

He saw of Tunisia’s Mohamed Samandi 15-10 in the final while another Egyptian, Mohamed Essam, and Jeremy Fafa Keryhuel of the Ivory Coast completed the podium places.

Top of the pile in the women’s foil was someone else with a Olympic medal as Ines Boubakri of Tunisia, who claimed bronze at Rio 2016, eased past Egypt’s Yara Elsharkawy 15-6.

Egypt’s Noura Mohamed and Algerian Anissa Khelfaoui finished third.

There was lots of success in the men’s and women’s sabre competitions as fencers from the country took gold and silver in both sections.

For the men, Fares Ferjani overcame team-mate Hichem Smandi 15-9 while Azza Besbes beat Yosra Ghrairi for gold in the women’s contest.

Rio 2016 bronze medallist Ines Boubakri of Tunisia was among the winners in Egypt ©Getty Images
Rio 2016 bronze medallist Ines Boubakri of Tunisia was among the winners in Egypt ©Getty Images

The Tunisian team also collected a bronze through Iheb Ben Chaabene in the men’s category, with Zaid Elsissy from the host nation winning the other medal on offer.

In the women’s event, two Egyptian’s, Mariam Ahmed and Logayn Faramawe, completed the podium.

In the épée team events, Egypt’s men took gold ahead of Morocco with Senegal winning bronze.

Tunisia got the better of their hosts in the women’s team épée, with South Africa finishing third.

There was double gold in the foil team contests, with the men beating Tunisia and the females winning against Algeria.

South Africa’s men and the Tunisian women won bronze.

Tunisia male sabre team did get one over on the Egyptians to win gold, but fortunes were reversed when the women took to the piste.

In both competitions, Senegal’s teams completed the podium places.

Attention for the African fencers will now shift to the World Championships due to take place in Leipzig, Germany, between July 19 and 26.