Sam Catantan triumphs over trials to rep Philippine fencing in Olympics

Sam Catantan is the first fencing delegate of the Philippines to the Olympics after 32 years and in Paris, she will show why she is among the world's best.

Catantan will compete in the women's foil event and is part of the country's 22-member team to the Paris Games later this month.

Who is Sam Catantan? 

Catantan came from the grassroots as she started fencing when she was nine. 

Through fencing, she was able to study in the University of the East and competed in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines where she bagged numerous awards such as being the Most Valuable Player. 

"I think hindi ko po masasabi na ever since po alam ko po na possible akong mag-excel. Pero I just really love the sport po and talaga pong very passionate lang po talaga ako sa fencing," Catantan said in 'Game On: The Podcast.'

(I think I would not say that I knew that I would excel ever since. I just really love the sport and I am very passionate about fencing.)

After dominating the high school ranks, Catantan eventually found her way to Pennsylvania State University where she played in the US NCAA. 

However, a major setback happened as Catantan in May 2023 suffered a torn ACL during the Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh where she settled for a silver medal.

That injury, however, did not stop her as she recovered and returned in early 2024 and qualified for the US NCAA national finals where she finished tenth.

Months later, Catantan competed in the Asia and Oceania Zonal Olympic Qualifier where she ruled the women's foil event, but not without hiccups along the way.

During the finals against Sofiya Aktayeva, Catantan suffered cramps as the match was almost ending. Catantan also shared that there were some alleged bad calls, but eventually, she finished on top and eventually booked the ticket to Paris.

Among the world's best

Catantan is among the Philippines' top fencers as she claimed silver back in 2017 in the women's foil event of the SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur.

She also claimed bronze in the women's foil and team foil event of the 2019 SEA Games here in the country.

In Hanoi in 2021, Catantan won gold for women's foil and silver for team foil. Two years later, she settled for a silver in Cambodia due to injury.

However, standing along the way of Catantan's bid for a medal is her friend Maxine Esteban, a former Philippine athlete who switched federations to Cote d'Ivoire and eventually qualified as the top frencer from Africa. 

Despite the possible competition, the two have previously wished each other the best in their respective journeys.

Aside from Esteban, Catantan may also face the likes of Tokyo Olympics gold medalist and American Lee Kiefer, who also has Filipino heritage, and Italy's Alice Volpi and Arianna Erigo. Volpi was fourth in Tokyo, while Erigo is currently the top foil fencer in the world rankings.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News