PHOTO COURTESY: YOSEM/Banner by Hanns Delfin
Karen Ann Mantukay
Bright future beckons Catantan, Esteban despite early Olympic exit
No amount of preparedness can muster the lionhearted when competing in an arena where the best and the most formidable in the world have gathered to display their exemplary skills and brilliance while aiming to seize the glorious prize in the world’s biggest sporting stage.
That is what the two Filipina fencers endured when they were unable to deflect the puncture of reality when they both bowed out in the Table of 32, ending their dream run in the Olympics.
Samantha Catantan and Maxine Esteban made history when they both qualified for the Summer Games as the Philippines’ first fencing representative since 1992 and the first homegrown Filipina to qualify for the Olympics, respectively.
With a rivalry to be settled in the Fencing events and an Olympic medal at stake, the odds of Catantan and Esteban facing off in the Olympic fencing stage is if they both reach the semifinals.
But the encounter was foiled at the Grand Palais where both fencers were ousted from the Paris Games in the early stages of the women’s individual foil competition.
Catantan steams ahead despite injury
After upstaging Brazil’s Mariana Pistoia, 15-13, in the Table of 64, the No. 266-ranked Catantan went toe-to-toe with the top-seeded fencer in a gallant bid to keep alive the Philippines’ first appearance in Olympic fencing in 32 years.
Catantan’s significant short stature was evident when she went against Arianna Errigo of Italy, who paraded a wealthy Olympic experience. Even with the impressive credentials, the world No. 2’s struggle was apparent as the young Filipina reciprocated the attacks despite having a mobility issue with her left knee.
Masking the pain afflicted by her knee injury, Catantan refused to surrender and remained steadfast as she employed her counterattacks effectively, narrowing the deficit to just two points, 12-14.
The 22-year-old’s resilience was evident as she pushed Errigo to the limit.
However, experience and composure ultimately prevailed, with the 36-year-old veteran managing to secure the final point via a red card and win the match, 15-12.
“I know for a fact that coming here, I was not as ready as my other opponents because I just recovered from an injury and I just started fencing by February. But I was really happy with the way I fenced today. Hopefully, in the next tournaments, I will be able to perform better,” Catantan told the media post match.
Catantan braved on but came up short versus Errigo and became the first casualty for the 22-strong Philippine team in the 33rd Olympic Games.
Olympic setback fuels Esteban
Esteban, meanwhile, challenged Tokyo Olympics silver medalist and 13th-seeded Pauline Ranvier of France but suffered an early exit as the hometown bet eked 15-7 in the women’s foil individual Table of 32.
After shedding the Philippines’ red, white and blue for the green, white and orange colors of the Côte d’Ivoire last year, the 24-year-old Esteban marched into the Summer Games oozing with confidence as she ranks No. 27 in the world – the highest ranking ever by a homegrown Filipino fencer.
Ranvier unfortunately dominated Esteban on the piste, establishing a 13-2 lead at the 0:24 mark in the first period. Esteban still notched some points but ultimately could not recover from the huge separation created by the French fencer.
“In my maiden appearance, I am happy to have made a final ranking of #23 out of the 34 fencers. It is an honor to fence the Tokyo Olympics silver medalist, Pauline Ranvier from France in the T32, who is also my friend,” Esteban stated after her match.
Regardless of the setback, the Filipino-Ivorian remains positive and paints the future a very encouraging picture as competing for a new federation that is giving her all the support she needs secured her a solid position to excel.
What’s next for the Filipina fencers?
Despite concluding their campaigns early in their maiden appearance in the Olympics, both fencers have already contemplated a bigger and demanding plan for their next career move.
Catantan shared that she will have to compete in as many international tournaments as she can to gain the necessary points to qualify for the next Summer Games.
Esteban, on the other hand, who will be representing Ivory Coast for the rest of her fencing career, will work hard to emerge as No. 20 in the world and reach her peak by the time the next Olympics unfold.
With Catantan and Esteban having long parried battles on and off the piste, bright future beckons the two Filipina fencers as they suit up for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
News
The Alas Pilipinas Boys made quick work of Hong Kong-China, 25-18, 28-26, 25-13, in the 9th-12th classification round of the 2026 Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Boys’ U18 Volleyball Championship on Friday night at the Wuyuan River Gymnasium in Haikou, China.
The Philippines will face Indonesia today in the battle for ninth place. A victory would give Alas Pilipinas its highest finish in the tournament since making its debut in 1997.
After taking the opening set, 25-18, the Filipinos faced a tougher challenge in the second frame as Hong Kong-China battled back and forced a 26-all deadlock.
Elijah Guzman stepped up in crunch time, hammering down back-to-back kills to give the Philippines a commanding two-set advantage.
Alas then dominated the third set, with Al-Raquib Dais and Terrence Marticion attacking from all angles to power the team to a convincing 25-13 victory.
Dais, who erupted for a tournament-high 25 points in the team’s win over Australia, once again led the scoring with 15 points built on 12 attacks and three blocks. Marticion chipped in 14 points, while Guzman added six markers, including the two crucial points that sealed the second set.
Lik Chun Lau paced Hong Kong-China with 16 points.
Meanwhile, Japan and Iran will clash for the championship on Saturday, while Chinese Taipei and host China will battle for the bronze medal.
The Alas Pilipinas Boys defeated Australia, 25-20, 30-28, 25-20, in the classification round of the 2026 Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Boys' U18 Volleyball Championship on Thursday night at the Wuyuan River Gymnasium in Haikou, China.
The Philippines boosted its chances of securing a best-ever ninth-place finish in the tournament—an improvement from its 11th-place finish in the 2024 edition held in Bahrain.
The national team had to work hard throughout the match, especially in the second set, which was tied six times as Al-Raquib Dais traded kills with Australia's Eddie Kerwin.
After Alex Liang committed a costly service error, Dais pounded a strong crosscourt kill to secure the set for Alas, 30-28.
Australia was plagued by errors in the third frame as Dais continued his hot streak, allowing Alas to close out the match with a 25-20 victory.
They gave away 25 points through unforced errors, while the Philippines committed only 14.
The 16-year-old Dais finished with 25 points built on 21 attacks, three blocks, and one ace, while Terrence Marticion added 11 points.
Australia was led by King's 12-point output and Liang's 11-point performance, but it was not enough to earn a victory.
The Philippines will face either Kazakhstan or Hong Kong in the 9th-12th place classification semifinals.
In an unstoppable performance, the UST Junior Golden Tigresses claimed the top spot in the 2026 Shakey’s Super League Junior National Invitationals after sweeping fellow unbeaten St. John’s Institute in straight sets, 25-17, 25-23, to complete the elimination round with a perfect record.
The Golden Tigresses advanced to the semifinals as the tournament's No.1 seed following their latest triumph.
Anneli Manzanillo was named the MVP of the Match award after playing a key role in their victory. She finished with 8 points, highlighted by 4 attacks and 4 blocks in a dominant performance at the net.
The unbeaten campaign marked UST's first-ever perfect elimination round since 2023, when the Junior Golden Tigresses went on to capture the bronze medal in the tournament.
Meanwhile, Angeline Poyos was named Best Outside Hitter, while Bernadett Pepito earned the Best Libero award.
UST will await its semifinal opponent, while St. John’s dropped to a 4-1 record. The squad is scheduled to face Pacific Volleyball Academy (PVA) in its final preliminary-round match.
Gilas Pilipinas Boys beats Japan, 19-14, in the 2026 FIBA 3x3 Nations League Asia 2 finals in the Stop 3 final on Wednesday at Hextar World Empire City in Malaysia.
The Philippines secured their title triumph through strong teamwork, efficient offensive scoring, and control of the game's tempo. Gilas built an 18-10 cushion behind timely baskets and maintained its composure to close out the championship match, showcasing the depth that fueled its unbeaten Stop 3 run.
Cabs Cabonilas emerged as the Player of the Game after he contributed seven points in the final. The Gilas standout also played a crucial role throughout Stop 3, which he tallied 11 points against New Zealand and 10 more against Singapore to spearhead the Philippines' title-winning campaign.
Japan tried to keep the team within striking distance throughout the final and helped the squad stay competitive despite facing a double-digit deficit.
Despite their resilience, the team struggled to match the Philippines' scoring pace in the closing stages. Unable to contain Gilas Pilipinas' balanced attack, they found it difficult to generate consistent offense.
With the victory, Gilas moved into a tie with Belarus atop the conference standings with 240 points apiece, and will return to action in Stop 4 on Friday against New Zealand and Malaysia.
Cambodia stunned Alas Pilipinas in five sets, 25-23, 28-30, 25-20, 22-25, 15-8, to open its SEA V Cup campaign on a high note Wednesday at the Candon City Arena and deal the host nation an early setback in the tournament.
Despite the loss, newcomer Joshua Magalaman delivered an impressive performance for the Philippines, finishing with 21 points built on 15 attacks, four blocks, and two aces.
Jude Garcia also shone for Alas Pilipinas with 20 points on 18 attacks, one block, and one ace, providing a steady offensive presence throughout the match.
The Philippines struggled to maintain its momentum in crucial stretches, particularly in the deciding fifth set where Cambodia pulled away. Alas also committed untimely errors and failed to contain Cambodia’s attack, allowing the visitors to dictate the pace when it mattered most.
Cambodia, meanwhile, capitalized on its opportunities through efficient attacking and resilient defense. The Cambodians remained composed during extended rallies and key moments, showcasing the confidence that helped them secure one of the biggest wins in their recent history.
Veasna Voeum emerged as the Player of the Game after erupting for 33 points on 28 attacks, three blocks, and two aces to lead Cambodia’s breakthrough victory.
Cambodia is set to face reigning AVC Men's Cup champ Indonesia today, July 16, before taking on the home team on Friday. Alas is also on the verge of a must-win situation on the tournament against Indonesia.
