Kenyans in Germany. Kenyan-German athlete Alexandra Ndolo made history emerging as the first Kenyan woman to ever compete in the FIE Fencing World Cup.
Not only did the star athlete go down in Kenyan history, but she also ended up 10th out of a staggering 271 participants. Ms Ndolo posted this on her twitter with an image of her fencing: “Not only did I make history as the first Kenyan woman to ever compete in a major @FIE_fencing event, but I also ended up 10th out of 271 participants.”
Fencing is an organised sport involving the use of a sword—épée, foil, or sabre—for attack and defence according to set movements and rules. Although the use of swords dates to prehistoric times and swordplay to ancient civilisations, the organised sport of fencing began only at the end of the 19th century.
It is no secret Alexandra is proud to be Kenyan even before she posted this: “Seeing the Kenyan flag raised high in the competition hall was a goosebumps moment. This was a great start into the season more to come.”
Who is fencing champion Alexandra Ndolo?
Alexandra Ndolo is a German-born left-handed épée fencer who fences for Kenya from 2022 on. She was born in Bayreuth, Northern Bavaria, Germany, and her father was from Kenya.
Ndolo represented Germany at the 2013 Summer Universiade held in Kazan, Russia and has won major medals in her previous championships, notably a silver in the women’s épée event at the 2017 European Fencing Championships held in Tbilisi, Georgia.
At the 2022 World Fencing Championship held on African soil in Cairo Egypt in July she also bagged bronze. She also represented Germany at the 2013 Summer Universiade held in Kazan, Russia.