By: Waylon Galvez
BANGKOK — Not one. Not two. But three.
Yes.
Winning three gold medals for the Philippines in fencing is not just a dream — it is the target as Filipino fencers begin their campaign in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games at the Fashion Mall here.
Members of the national team participated in various international tournaments and training camps abroad, either as a team or as individuals. Before flying here in Bangkok for the SEA Games, the Filipino fencers went to South Korea for a two-week training camp.
National team head coach Ronaldo “Amat” Canlas Jr. expressed confidence that the Philippine squad is well-equipped and fully prepared for this edition of the biennial meet, especially after returning home empty-handed in the previous SEA Games in Cambodia.
“I think our fencing team is capable of winning three gold medals,” Canlas told The Tiebreaker Times on Monday, December 15 — one day before the Nationals open their SEA Games campaign.
“Our fencers are raring to go, they are hungry and they have prepared very hard. We understand that it’s going to be tough because other countries are world-class fencers too, but our fencers, they’ve been training hard, going to different international competitions,” he added.
The individual competitions will be held over the first two days. Men’s foil, women’s epee, and women’s saber will be contested on Tuesday, while women’s foil, men’s epee, and men’s saber are scheduled for Wednesday.
Team competitions will follow on Thursday and Friday.
Each country is allowed two entries per individual event, while up to four fencers may compete in the team events.
Representing the Philippines in the individual events are Nathaniel Perez and Sammuel Tranquilan in men’s foil; sisters Samantha and Ysah Catantan in women’s foil; Noelito Jose and Miguel Bautista in men’s epee; Juliana Gomez and Hanniel Abella in women’s epee; CJ Concepcion and Daniel Villanueva in men’s saber; and Jylyn Nicanor and Charmaine Andres in women’s saber.
Samantha Catantan previously won gold in the 2021 SEA Games in Vietnam and was poised to repeat the feat in Cambodia two years ago before tearing her left ACL during the semifinals. Despite the injury, she advanced to the finals but did not compete against eventual gold medalist Maxine Wong of Singapore.
A former high school standout from UAAP powerhouse University of the East and now a student-athlete at Penn State University, Catantan made a remarkable comeback by winning gold at the Asian Olympic Qualifying Tournament last year, earning a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
She re-injured her left knee during the Olympics, but after nearly 10 months of rehabilitation, Catantan returned to action early this year and is coming off competitions in Europe and the United States, where she is currently based.
“We have a good chance. There are other fencers who are also capable of winning it, including Amieta Berthier—an Olympian from Singapore. But we’ll see. Lalaban tayo,” said Catantan, who is competing in her fifth SEA Games. She previously won silver in Malaysia in 2017 and bronze in Manila in 2019.
Canlas believes both the women’s and men’s foil events can deliver gold, while men’s epee and women’s saber also have strong medal prospects. However, he noted that surprises are always possible.
“Sa fencing may talagang sinasabi na ‘sino ang maganda ang gising’ and who knows. Mayroong mga inaasahan tayo, pero possible din na biglang may pwede na makalusot and win the gold medal,” he said.
Perez, now competing in his sixth SEA Games, continues his pursuit of an elusive gold after earning two silver medals (2017 Malaysia, 2021 Vietnam) and two bronzes (2015 Singapore, 2019 Manila). Tranquilan claimed silver in the previous SEA Games in Cambodia.
Jose and Abella are also eyeing their first gold medals. Jose previously won bronze in 2019 and silver medals in 2021 and 2023, while Abella earned silver in 2017 and 2019. Concepcion, a silver medalist in 2019, is likewise aiming to finally step on top of the podium.
Aside from Samantha Catantan, Nicanor is the only other Filipino fencer seeking a second SEA Games gold, having won the women’s saber title in 2019.
Completing the Philippine roster for the team events are Nicollei Felipe and Louis Shoemaker in men’s foil; Sophia Catantan in women’s foil; Lee Ergina in men’s epee; Alexa Larazabal and Ivy Dinoy in women’s epee; Khiane Felipe and Anthony Concepcion in men’s saber; and Queen Dalmacio and Kaikaku dela Serna in women’s saber.
Joining Canlas on the coaching staff are Kim Hyung Sup and Ramil Endriano for foil; brothers Oniong and Al Vizcayno, along with Korean coach Sangsun Park, for epee; and Chester Uy and Iranian coach Alireza Taherkhani for saber.
