Team
Redefined by an emotional turnaround that scored them a third-runner up finish in Season 79, the Men’s Fencing Team have their sabres pointed towards glory this year. With their lineup of seasoned veterans who are hungry for the gold intact, the team is more than ready to bag the crown.
Team Captain
Michael Tan
Captain Michael Tan has taken on the mantle of leadership in Season 80, serving as a steadying force on the team. Identifying mental toughness as the secret to a podium finish, Tan hopes to lead by example by inspiring his teammates to work hard day in and day out en route to the tournament.
“Some people enter a match thinking they’ve already lost. That’s the kind of mindset I want to eliminate [during my leadership]. Syempre okay lang matalo, pero hindi okay na tanggapin na lagi ka lang matatalo (Of course, it’s okay to lose, what’s not okay is to believe that you will always lose).”
Kyle Lim
Despite suffering several injuries over the past year, foil specialist Kyle Lim aims for consistency in his senior year after putting in the work during the offseason. The veteran believes that his work ethic will instill a positive mindset on his teammates as the squad opens their campaign for glory.
Brent Trinidad
Leading a promising performance last year, sabre specialist Brent Trinidad returns to the piste this season with a firm mentality to give it his all. Fighting with a renewed sense of confidence, Trinidad believes that the little efforts done in training will yield bigger results.
Kyle Go
Equipped with six years of fencing experience, rookie Kyle Go marks his debut in the league with the goal of making an immediate impact. Hardened by international experience, the Xavier School product believes that his ability to make timely adjustments during the match will be his biggest advantage.
Coach’s Corner
Walter Torres
Former national team coach Walter Torres is determined to steer the Blue and White to a podium finish in Season 80. With solid athletes bannering the epee, sabre, and foil, the mentor is confident that the team has the tenacity and drive to finally surpass the competition and take the gold.
“The team’s focus [this year] is on how to sustain composure and confidence especially in the dying seconds of the bout. We have been working on this through training and by joining as many tournaments as possible and we can definitely [land] a podium finish this time.”
