By MARK REY MONTEJO
Fencer Samantha Catantan expects rough roads along the way but vowed to give it her all as she intends to make her Olympic debut in Paris in July very exciting and memorable.
The former University of the East standout said she is already anticipating a tough road in the sports’ grandest stage, noting that some of her Olympic rivals have already started their training just as the 2020 Tokyo edition had ended.
“Lagi po naming ibibigay namin ang best namin to perform at the highest level. Siyempre mataas ang expectation ko sa sarili ko and at the same time din, alam kong hindi lang po ako ang nagtatrabaho,” said Catantan on Tuesday’s PSA Forum presented by San Miguel Corporation, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, MILO, Smart/PLDT, and ArenaPlus, the leading sports entertainment gateway in the Philippines.
Catantan became the first Filipina fencer to qualify to the Games after topping the women’s individual foil event at the Asia Oceania Qualification in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates last month.
She was also the first Filipino fencer to make it to the quadrennial meet since Walter Torres, now PSC commissioner, in the 1992 Barcelona edition.
Catantan, a Penn State University ace, defied all odds after an improbable 15-14 win against her taller rival in Kazakh Sofiya Aktayeva.
The road to the Paris Olympics didn’t come easy.
Catantan suffered an ACL injury at last year’s Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia, spending months in rehabilitation after surgery.
“Realistically, siyempre I have a rough year po coming from an injury, and for the fact I was able to make it in that qualifying tournament I was already grateful for that opportunity and now, we’re actually in the (Paris) Olympics,” Catantan said.
“Nothing is impossible,” she added.
Catantan will stay in the country for two weeks then she is set for another training from June 12 to 29 in Venice, Italy under the tutelage of her Penn State coach.
A month after, Catantan and Canlas will join hands anew for a training camp in France before entering the Olympic Village on July 25.
Catantan’s first Olympic match is set on July 28.
