Sharpened edges: Filipina fencers Esteban, Catantan mark PH fencing’s growth

The Philippines marks its historic Olympic return to Paris, 100 years since the country debuted in the world’s biggest sporting event in the French capital.

With the Filipino contingent edging closer to showcase the fruit of their labor and bring home glorious laurels on the nation’s centennial anniversary, one sport that has been in a deep slumber in over three decades finally punctuated its return because of one Filipina athlete.

Samantha Catantan ended a long drought for Philippine fencing with her entry to the Paris Olympics 2024.

Catantan demonstrated resilience during the daunting challenge of the Asia-Oceania Zonal Olympic Fencing Qualifier that sealed her pathway to Paris, a feat that would make her the first fencer from the Philippines to compete after 32 years.

No Filipino fencer has ever reached the Olympics since the 1992 edition.

Percival Alger and Walter Torres were the first and last Filipino fencers to do it when they donned the national colors in the 1988 and 1992 Summer Games, respectively.

However, Catantan was not the only Filipina fencer who lunged for an Olympic berth.

Filipino-Ivorian Maxine Esteban booked a ticket to the 2024 Paris Olympics, but will be representing Ivory Coast after switching federations last year.

The 24-year-old Ateneo standout clinched the lone African singles spot in the women’s foil event, making her the first homegrown Filipino fencer to earn an Olympic berth.

It can be recalled that Esteban switched federations after a controversial exclusion by the Philippine Fencing Association (PFA) allegedly because she skipped the Philippine qualifiers.

Even so, Esteban provided documents showing the PFA had excused her from the national trials because she suffered an ACL injury while representing the country in the World Championship in Egypt.

Even though Esteban changed her nationality and decided to represent the Ivory Coast for the remainder of her fencing career, she sees this as a unique opportunity to inspire young athletes from more parts of the world — of course, the Philippines included.

Esteban making history as the first homegrown Filipina to qualify for the Olympics, along with Catantan, who is the Philippines’ first fencing representative since 1992, is a great marker of growth in itself and it could spark even more dreamers just like them.

Catantan previously held a fencing clinic last June under the Quezon City Sports Enhancement Program (QCSEP) to help teach and improve the skills of aspiring fencers in the country.

As a product and mainstay of the QCSEP, Catantan expressed how delighted she was to see children who want to try fencing and hopefully, in the future, there will be more Olympians who can be a candidate not only from QCSEP fencing team but also from different clubs in the Philippines.

Meanwhile, Esteban hopes that she can be a role model to any younger athlete today who has a dream.

"There are many challenges along the way. For Filipino athletes, there are so many challenges, but it comprises the lack of infrastructure, mainly the lack of world-class training facilities, coaches, and exposure to international competitions. But also the mental and emotional well-being benefits," Esteban told The Game in an interview.

"All these are important in grooming a world-class athlete. But qualifying in the Olympics is a testament that amidst all these challenges, the Filipino can do it. And I hope that this will serve as an inspiration that there is no limit to reaching a person’s dream.”

The Filipina fencers will open their respective campaigns in the Summer Games on July 28.