With Olympics spot clinched, Sam Catantan turns focus to next challenge — finals week

Filipino fencing contender Sam Catantan has hurdled one of her two challenges this week as she clinched a slot in the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.

In the Asia and Oceania Zonal Olympic Qualifier held in the United Arab Emirates over the weekend, Catantan ruled the women's foil event as she defeated Kazakhstan's Sofiya Aktayeva in the finals to punch a ticket to the Summer Games.

"Very thankful po kami na nakapasok, nakuha po namin 'yung slot sa Olympics. At the same time, medyo relief po talaga kasi very stressful na tournament po siya para po sa amin," the 22-year old Catantan told GMA Integrated News in an interview.

[Very thankful that I got in, and got the slot in the Olympics. At the same time, it's a bit of a relief because this has been a very stressful tournament for us.]

Aside from competing for an Olympics slot, Catantan is also set to take on her finals this week as a graduating accounting major in Penn State University.

"Graduating po ako this year so dalawa po ang stress, 'yung finals ko po and itong tournament," she said on Sunday, a day before she left for the United States for her upcoming school finals.

[I'm graduating this year so there's two sources of stress - my finals and this tournament.]

Despite the grueling schedule and the challenge of juggling training and academics, Catantan said she has found her groove in balancing the two aspects of her life as early as high school.

"Ever since po kasi, medyo maaga ako nakapasok sa national team, mga second year lang po ata ng high school so medyo na-practice ko na ang time management ko and nahanap ko na ang routine ko every day, hindi naman mahirap pagsabayin ang aral at training," Catantan said, adding that it was also helpful that her training facility in Penn State was near her place.

[Ever since, I got into the national team early, I was second year in high school so I got to practice time management and I found my routine. It's not that hard to balance studies and training.]

The Filipina fencer's journey to Paris was not the easiest as well.

In the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia, Catantan suffered an injury which required her getting surgery. That competition was held in May 2023, not that long ago from these Olympic qualifiers.

"Ten months out lang po ako from surgery, medyo maaga po ako nag-start ng fencing before this tournament so naka-brace po ako. 'Yung brace ko po, medyo limited pa ang movement so parang nag-stop po na mag-circulate 'yung muscle. I think may na-pull akong muscle behind my knee during the bout," Catantan shared.

[I'm only 10 months out from surgery, I started fencing again early before this tournament so I had a brace on. The brace somewhat limited my movement so the circulation to the muscle kind of stopped. I think I pulled a muscle behind my knee during the bout.]

"Nasa Finals na po ako and I really wanted to get that gold medal and that spot for Olympics. Nafi-feel ko rin po na kaya ko po matalo 'yung opponent ko, 'yung Kazakhstan."

[I was in the Finals and I really wanted to get that gold medal and that spot for Olympics. I felt that I was capable of beating my opponent from Kazakhstan.]

Catantan, however, said her injury scare may just be a muscle strain, pending official checking from her medical team.

"I'm very grateful and I feel so blessed na nagkaroon ako ng chance na i-represent ang Philippines sa Olympics and I'm really looking forward po na makapaglaro and naniniwala po ako na this is only the beginning na makilala ang fencing sa mapa ng Olympics representing the Philippines," she said.

"Hopefully, marami pang bata makapaglaro sa Olympics."

[I'm very grateful and I feel so blessed that I have the chance to represent the Philippines in the Olympics and I'm really looking forward to compete and I believe that this only the beginning for Philippine fencing to be recognized on the map of the Olympics... Hopefully, more kids will be able to play in the Olympics.]

Catantan joins the growing list of Filipino athletes bound for Paris in the Summer Games slated for late July.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News