The MIDEA Dubai Schools Games featured the Fencing Championship on 24 January 2026 at the GEMS School of Research & Innovation, under the patronage of the Dubai Sports Council. The event brought together 58 students from 30 schools, providing a highly competitive platform for young fencers to demonstrate skill, strategy, and sportsmanship.

The Championship featured U10, U12, and U15 categories across both boys’ and girls’ Épée and Foil events, offering students a structured pathway to compete at a high level and experience the thrill of representing their schools.

Schools in the Spotlight

GEMS School of Research & Innovation stood out with multiple podium finishes in the boys’ Épée events, while Swiss International Scientific School excelled in the girls’ Épée categories. Other schools, including Lycee Libanais Francophone Prive – Dubai, Brighton College, GEMS Wellington Academy – Silicon Oasis, Zayed Education Complex, and Emirates National Schools, delivered strong performances, ensuring a highly competitive and engaging Championship.

Championship Winners & MVPs

U10 Boys – Épée

1st – Neel Le Reste, Lycee Libanais Francophone Prive – Dubai
2nd – Danial Asylbek, Brighton College
3rd – Humeid Albalooshi, Zayed Educational Complex & Patrik Podgorsek, GEMS School of Research & Innovation

U10 Girls – Épée

1st – Viktorija Loiter, Nord Anglia International School Dubai
2nd – Asma Abdulhameed, Zayed Education Complex Al Warqa Kindergarten, Cycle1
3rd – Alma Kiss-Revesz, GEMS Wellington Academy – Silicon Oasis & Mirah Abdulhameed, Zayed Education Complex Al Warqa Kindergarten, Cycle1

U10 Girls – Foil

1st – Mira Saad, Zayed Education Complex Al Warqa Kindergarten, Cycle1
2nd – Mahra Haji, Al Athbah School Cycle 1
3rd – Sara Amer, Al Khawaneej Girls School Cycle 2 & Khadija Muhamad Almarzuqii, Zayed Education Complex Al Warqa Kindergarten, Cycle1

U12 Boys – Épée

1st – Altair Asylbek, GEMS School of Research & Innovation
2nd – Matteo Oliveri, GEMS School of Research & Innovation
3rd – Ayan Ali, GEMS School of Research & Innovation & Carlo Principato, Brighton College

U12 Girls – Épée

1st – Leyna Ajorque Mendjel, Swiss International Scientific School
2nd – Alicia Karapetian, Swiss International Scientific School
3rd – Gaia Abedzadeh, German International School Dubai & Malak Mohamed Farouk, Himayah School for Education Girls – Al Karama

U12 Boys – Foil

1st – Bohan Xu, Star International Mirdif School
2nd – Saad Mohamed Basmaji, Emirates National Schools
3rd – Mahmoud Anis, Emirates National Schools

U12 Girls – Foil

1st – Alreem Omar Buti Salem, Al Khawaneej Girls School Cycle 2
2nd – Ineisha Padhiyar, GEMS Wellington Academy – Al Khail
3rd – Futeem Khamis Hassan Khamis El Bedwawi, Al-Waha Girls’ School & Haya Ahmed, Hemaya Girls School (Police)

U15 Boys – Épée

1st – Diego Emre Fassone, Dubai International Academy – Al Barsha
2nd – Sergei Malkov, Jebel Ali School
3rd – Taiyi Li, GEMS School of Research & Innovation & Mohammad Abou El Naaj, Dunecrest American School

U15 Girls – Épée

1st – Aya Faisal Aljuwaie, Horizon International School
2nd – Tamara Krapivina, Repton School
3rd – Georgina Frohnsdorff, Brighton College & Yagmur Polat, Sunmarke School

U15 Boys – Foil

1st – Hoyik Xu, Star International Mirdif School
2nd – Yousef Alblooshi, Emirates National Schools

U15 Girls – Foil

1st – Jiayu Ouyang, North London Collegiate School Dubai
2nd – Noura Mohammed Alblooshi, Al Ahmadiah Girls School Cycle 2
3rd – Zhang Feng Yi, Chinese School Dubai – Mirdif

Fostering a New Generation of Fencers

The Fencing Championship highlighted the growth of fencing as a competitive school sport in Dubai, providing students with a structured pathway from participation to Championship-level competition. The event not only celebrated individual talent but also emphasized teamwork, focus, and discipline — key skills developed through fencing.

Marco Vocale, Commercial Director at ESM, said:
"The Fencing Championships demonstrated both skill and determination from all students involved. With 30 schools taking part, this platform is vital in helping young athletes develop their abilities and experience the thrill of competing at a high level."

About the MIDEA Dubai Schools Games

The MIDEA Dubai Schools Games is a flagship initiative under the patronage of the Dubai Sports Council, designed to promote participation, community spirit and talent identification among students across the emirate. The 2025–26 season will feature more than 25,000 students competing across 25 sports and over 100 event days, making it Dubai’s largest youth sports movement.

The Games are proudly title sponsored by MIDEA, with Volkswagen Al Nabooda Automobiles, Careem, and Almarai as supporting partners. Al Ain Water serves as the official Hydration Partner, Clive as the Official Streaming Partner, and ESM as the Delivery Partner of the MIDEA Dubai Schools Games.