Hong Kong, July 22 — Taniksha Khatri and Prachi Lohan etched their names into Indian fencing history by becoming the first Indian women's épée fencers to qualify for the Main Table of 64 at the Senior World Fencing Championships, marking a breakthrough moment for the sport on the opening day of the 2026 edition at the AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong.
Competing in the qualification rounds of the Women's Individual Épée event, the two Indians progressed through a highly competitive field after negotiating the round-robin pool stage and preliminary direct elimination bouts to secure places in the main draw. Their achievement marks the first time Indian women épée fencers have reached the Main Table of 64 at the prestigious global championship.
The nine-day competition has brought together more than 1,000 fencers from over 100 countries. India has fielded a 24-member contingent comprising 12 men and 12 women across foil, épée and sabre disciplines.
Congratulating the two athletes, Rajeev Mehta, Secretary General of the Fencing Confederation of Asia and the Fencing Association of India, hailed the achievement as a landmark for Indian fencing.
"I am immensely proud and delighted to witness this historic achievement by Taniksha Khatri and Prachi Lohan. Their qualification for the Main Table of 64 at the Senior World Fencing Championships is a landmark moment for Indian fencing and reflects their exceptional talent, dedication, and perseverance. This remarkable feat is a testament to the growing standard of Indian fencing and will inspire many young athletes to excel on the international stage. I congratulate both fencers, their coaches, and the entire support team on this memorable success."
In the Men's Individual Foil qualifiers, India's quartet gained valuable international exposure but missed out on advancing to the direct elimination rounds. Sachin was the highest-placed Indian, finishing 107th, while Aditya ended 137th, Sanasam Hemash Singh 143rd and Tejas Manoj Patil 149th.
Taniksha and Prachi will return to action on July 25 in the Women's Individual Épée Main Table of 64, where they will battle for places in the last 32.
India's campaign continues on Thursday with the Men's Individual Épée qualifiers featuring Sherjin Rajendran Shanthimol, Joseph Bennet, Siva Magesh Sathasivan Nirmala and Shaurya Ashwini, while Shreya Gupta, Jefarlin Jani Rexlin Simla, Shruti Joshi and Aakhri will compete in the Women's Individual Sabre qualification event.