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Fencer Janna Catantan hopes to make it to the Olympics in 2028 following the footsteps of sister Sam
Following her sister’s footsteps Samantha Catantan, fencer Janna Catantan is targeting an Olympic fencing stint in 2028.
Her sister Sam made history for the country by becoming the first Filipina fencer to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Janna Catantan is one of those 19 world-class athletes that will receive the opportunity for career development under the Ayala Foundation’s Atletang Ayala program.
Catantan said, now that she’s part of the program, she’s happy it is a great help for her to move and look forward to it especially in her upcoming competitions she will be joining.
Photo courtesy: Ayala Foundation
“Super happy po talaga kasi magandang opportunity yung program and super nilu-look forward ko po yung upcoming competitions na sasalihan namin. Kasi yun yung isa sa mga pinaka-importante na nilo-look forward ko,” Catantan said.
“It will not just help us improve in sports but also help us qualify in the biggest competitions like the Olympics,” she added.
Catantan also wants to make it to the Games with her sister too. Her elder sister always advises to always give her best in everything and to be patient enough and don’t lose hope.
“Yes po. Hopefully po, especially with Atletang Ayala, it may be possible po talaga kasi ma-e-expose na po kami talaga with the competitions na could be stepping stones papunta sa Olympics so possible po. So yes, it's possible,” said Catantan.
“Lagi lang naman niya [Sam] pong sinasabi sa akin na do my best in everything and talaga pong to be patient lang. Downfall is really part of the process. Lagi lang niyang sinasabi na huwag pong mawalan ng pag-asa. Just keep going po talaga despite the downfall,” she concluded
Last February of this year, Southeast Asian (SEA) Games bronze medalist Janna Catantan secured a gold medal for UST in the Philippine Fencing Association (PFA) Senior Fencing Championships held in Cubao, Quezon City.
While Sam Catantan ended her Paris Olympic journey against World No. 2 Arianna Erigo in the round of 32 despite suffering a full tear on her ACL. She finished her maiden Olympic stint ranked 32nd.
