Seven editions of waiting have finally ended for Philippine fencing.
Samantha Catantan snapped the 32-year longing for a Filipino fencer in the Olympic Games after a dramatic 15-14 win over Kazakhstan’s Sofiya Aktayeva in the women’s foil final of the Asia-Oceania Zonal Olympic Qualifier on Saturday in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates.
The Penn State standout followed in the footsteps of Walter Torres, who incidentally also competed in foil in the 1992 Games in Barcelona, Spain.
The 22-year-old fencer, who attended high school at University of the East, needed to come back from a 12-13 deficit and a medical timeout at 13-all.
Catantan finished fourth after the round of pools with a 4-2 record, which included a similarly close 5-4 decision against the same Kazakh foe.
Nonetheless, the UAAP Season 82 Girls’ MVP cruised past her opponents in the Table of 8 and the semifinals.
Catantan dominated Israa Al Siyabi of Oman, 15-4, and stunned the top-seeded Hong Sena of South Korea, 15-3, respectively.
Catantan, who won the silver medal in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games, joined 11 others in Paris later this year, including the latest additions in rowing’s Joanie Delgaco and artistic gymnastics’ Levi Ruivivar.
Other members of the centenary Team Philippines are pole vaulter EJ Obiena; artistic gymnasts Carlos Yulo and Alleah Finnegan; boxers Eumir Marcial, Nesthy Petecio, and Aira Villegas; and weightlifters John Ceniza, Elreen Ando, and Vanessa Sarno.
