A golden day for daughter, a silver moment for mom
MOTHER-DAUGHTER DUO STRIKES GOLD AND SILVER IN NATIONAL FENCING TOURNEY
In fencing, every point is a battle. But for Glowlyn Malipol and her daughter, Christine May Morales, their latest victories delivered something more meaningful than medals: a moment they could celebrate together.
The mother-daughter tandem made a memorable impact at the 2nd Leg Mini-Me and Veterans National Ranking Competition at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City, with Morales capturing gold and Malipol claiming silver in their respective events.
The 13-year-old Morales, a Grade 8 student-athlete and scholar from the University of the East, ruled the Under-14 Women’s Foil after defeating Canlas Fencing’s Ma. Alana Angelique Ribaya, 10-4, in the final. She powered through the competition with wins over Eliora Lenie Dela Cruz, 10-4, and Republic Fencing’s Julia Lauren Reyes, 10-1, and Vince Avery Asperin, 10-4, in the preliminaries.
Yet the young fencing standout had another reason to celebrate beyond adding another gold to her collection: her mother was also on the podium.
“I’m very happy with my victory, but I’m even happier because my mom also won a medal. Sharing the podium with her makes this achievement more meaningful for both of us,” Morales said.
Representing Quezon City SEP, Malipol secured silver in the Veterans Women’s Epee after falling to Beverly Gay Alarcon of Luzon Elite Fencing Club in the final. She booked her place in the championship bout with a nail-biting 10-9 victory over Gay Marie Rafael of Republic Fencing, after opening her campaign with a 10-4 win against Michelle Ragot.
Organized by the Philippine Fencing Association with support from the Philippine Sports Commission, the tournament provided another stage for the country’s fencers to showcase their skills across age groups.
For Morales, the gold-medal performance continued a promising run following her triumph at the 3rd Leg Cadet and Junior Championships at the historic Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Malate, Manila.
Now, with another victory under her belt, the young champion is setting her sights on an international competition scheduled for December 1-10 in Kuala Lumpur.
“This win gives me more confidence and motivation to train harder. I’m excited for the next international competition, and I will do my best to represent the Philippines,” she said.
For this mother and daughter, the latest competition was more than a test of skill and nerve. It was proof that the pursuit of excellence can be a shared journey — with gold and silver medals making the family celebration even sweeter.
