EQUIPPING A blade for the nation, Filipina fencer Samantha Catantan wrapped up a remarkable 2024 Summer Olympics debut with two hard-fought bouts, concluding her journey in the table of 32 women’s foil contests. The right-handed fencer fought her two matches yesterday at the Porte de la Chapelle Arena in Paris, France.
Facing Brazil’s Mariana Pistoia, Catantan began her campaign at the table of 64 with a fierce bout against the higher-ranked opponent and secured a close 15-13 victory. Meanwhile, in the table of 32, the Filipina went up against world no. 2 rank Arianna Errigo of Italy, where the former ultimately bid farewell, 12-15.
During her table of 64 match against Pistoia, the former University of the East standout was visibly in discomfort due to a knee injury. Nonetheless, the Filipina remained nimble, delivering quick counters to keep the contest tied until the latter part of the match, 13-13. In a quick turn of events, Catantan went full-throttle in the closing frames, making decisive advances against Pistoia to nab the come-from-behind win, 15-13. The triumph marked the Philippines’ first win by a national fencer in the Olympic elimination stages.
Catantan advanced to the table of 32, where she fought the Italian fencer. At the outset, the Filipina struggled to counter Errigo’s sly advances, falling into a 0-4 deficit. Quickly calibrating her opponent’s moves, however, Catantan served up a flurry of attacks to send the game in her favor, 5-4. Both fencers went on delivering a string of offensive tactics, but the bout ultimately ended with Catantan unable to counter her foe’s final pounces, absorbing a 12-15 loss to bow out of a chance at the table of 16.
After the game, Catantan held her honor high and pensively expressed gratitude for being able to play in the tournament despite her knee injury.
“Coming here, I wasn’t as ready po as my other opponents, kasi nga po kakagaling lang po ako ng injury (because I just came from an injury) and nag-start lang po ako ng fencing [by February] (and I just returned fencing by February). Pero, I was really happy po with the way I fenced today,” Catantan said in an interview with One Sports.
The national team athlete also mentioned that she sustained an injury in her meniscus following her first game, which caused her to be more cautious in her matchup in the table of 32.
“I have a problem with my meniscus right now after the first match, so hopefully po hindi napunit or anything. But […] medyo loose ‘yung tuhod ko habang naglalaro (I have a problem with my meniscus right now after the first match, so hopefully it was not torn or anything. But my knee felt a bit loose while I was playing.)” Catantan said.
Nonetheless, she shared her hopeful forthcomings, stating that she is willing and prepared to give it her all in the 2028 edition of the quadrennial event.
“I am ready to work again for the next Olympics in [Los Angeles],” the Filipina fencer affirmed.
