SINGAPORE — Two-time Olympian Kiria Tikanah Abdul Rahman is heading into the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games with a clear ambition: to bring home a medal for Singapore.
But the 26-year-old fencing star knows the road to the podium will be anything but easy.
“Obviously, I want to come home with a medal, but it’s not going to be easy,” Kiria said as Team Singapore prepares for the Asian Games, which will be held in Japan from Sept 19 to Oct 4. Women’s epee is one of the most competitive disciplines in Asian fencing, meaning every bout could prove decisive.
Still, Kiria is arriving with growing confidence — and good reason to believe she can challenge some of the continent’s strongest fencers.
Recent Asian Championship Medals Boost Singapore’s Hopes
Kiria claimed an individual bronze medal at the 2025 Asian Fencing Championships, before helping Singapore’s women’s epee team secure another bronze at the 2026 Asian Fencing Championships in New Delhi.
That latest result was particularly significant. Kiria, alongside teammates Elle Koh, Esther Tan and Denise Seah, helped Singapore secure the country’s first-ever women’s epee team medal at the Asian Championships, following victories over the Philippines and Hong Kong before a semi-final defeat to China.
With many of the same elite Asian competitors expected to compete in Japan, those performances have given the Singaporean fencer valuable experience and belief.
“We know what to expect,” Kiria said. “It gives us a lot of confidence knowing that we’ve done it before.”
From Olympic History-Maker to Singapore Flag Bearer
The upcoming Games will carry extra meaning for Kiria, who has been chosen as one of Singapore’s flag bearers for the opening ceremony alongside kayaker Brandon Ooi.
It marks another major chapter in a career already filled with historic milestones.
Kiria became the first Singaporean woman to compete in the Olympic women’s individual epee event, representing the Republic at Tokyo 2020 before returning for Paris 2024. Her journey to Paris was sealed in dramatic fashion when she won the Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament in 2024, edging India’s Taniksha Khatri 15-13 in the final.
Her career also includes a 2019 SEA Games individual epee gold medal, as well as multiple team and individual podium finishes for Singapore.
A Full-Circle Moment at Her Third Asian Games
When Kiria made her Asian Games debut in Jakarta in 2018, she was among the younger members of Singapore’s fencing contingent. Eight years later, she will travel to Japan as the most experienced member of the Republic’s fencing team.
“It feels like I’m coming full circle,” she said.
With two Olympic Games and two previous Asian Games behind her, Kiria now finds herself taking on a different role — one of leadership and guidance for Singapore’s next generation of fencers.
Her approach to major competition has also evolved. Rather than allowing a difficult exchange or disappointing match to derail her mentally, the veteran has learned to reset quickly and focus on what comes next.
That resilience could prove crucial in Japan, where Asia’s fencing powerhouses will once again stand between Singapore and a place on the podium.
No Official Medal Target, but a Golden Opportunity
Interestingly, Team Singapore will head to Aichi-Nagoya without a public medal target. Chef de mission Goh Kee Nguan has said the focus is on helping athletes produce their best performances rather than simply counting medals.
For Kiria, however, the mission is personal and clear.
An Asian Games medal would represent another breakthrough for a fencer who has repeatedly pushed Singapore’s boundaries on the international stage. Her recent performances suggest the dream is within reach — but in one of the world’s toughest fencing regions, nothing will come easily.
With the Singapore flag set to rest on her shoulders at the opening ceremony, Kiria will soon step onto an even bigger stage with one question hanging in the air:
Can Singapore’s Olympic trailblazer turn her growing momentum into an Asian Games medal?
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