By MARK REY MONTEJO
If anyone knows Samantha Catantan very well, it was her long-time mentor Amat Canlas.
Canlas has been coaching the Penn State University standout since she was 10 years old, starting with getting free fencing lessons before slowly making her way up into the competition stage.
Catantan’s latest achievement was becoming the first Filipina fencer to qualify for the Olympics after earning a ticket to Paris in July.
“Nag-start sya dun sa kapatid ko sa QC-SEP [Fencing] nung nine years old sya tapos nag-10 na sya nalipat na sya sa akin [and} dun na nagstart yung journey namin,” Canlas said on Tuesday’s PSA Forum.
The former University of the East fencer recalled how Catantan used to cry during her tournament stints.
“Di ko makalimutan to kasi iyakin talaga sya nung nag-i-istart pa lang sya. Di pa tapos yung game, umiiyak na sya. Kaya kami natatalo kasi lumamang lang ng isa or dalawa yung kalaban, feel nya talo na sya,” Canlas said.
“Siyempre sa dismaya ko talagang nagagalit ako, pinapalayas ko na sya. Sabi ko sa kanya ‘Umalis ka na, di kita kailangan dito.’ After non, nagbago, na-motivate ko sya dun,” he added.
With words of encouragement from Canlas and her other coaches, Catantan came back stronger throughout the years, thanks to her unparalleled hardwork and sheer dedication that brought her so far as winning multiple UAAP junior titles and a US NCAA National Championships berth.
It also gave her numerous podium finishes in Southeast Asian Games.
“Pero talagang na-vision ko na itong batang ito [magiging successful. Maganda kasi sumusunod siya eh, masunuring bata. Lahat ng sinabi ko at mga pati ibang coaches sumusunod talaga sya,” Canlas said.
Canlas tipped his hat to Penn State University for giving Catantan an opportunity to further hone her fencing skills.
“Pero of course, nakatulong sa kanya yung pagpunta nya sa US. Kumbaga parang nasa maliit sya na aquarium tapos nilagay sya sa dagat, dun yung full potential nya lumabas,” Canlas said.
