By MARK REY MONTEJO
Now in peak form, fencer Samantha Catantan is ready to face the best of the best in the 2024 Paris Olympics slated later this month
Fresh from her training in Venice, Italy, the 22-year-old Catantan was reunited with her long-time mentor Roland “Amat” Canlas in Metz, France where the rest of Team Philippines are training religiously.
Canlas assured that Catantan has been doing well and is at 100 percent right now for the quadrennial meet.
“Okay naman [kami]. [Nag] morning [and] afternoon [training] kami,” Canlas in a brief message via Messenger on Wednesday, July 17.
“100 [percent] na [si Sam],” he added.
A former UAAP standout, Catantan, who now plays for Pennsylvania State U, trained under her renowned fencing mentor and Sydney Olympics bronze winner Matteo Zennaro in Pittsburg before getting reunited with Canlas anew in Metz.
The Southeast Asian Games multi-medalist will open her campaign in the women’s individual foil on July 28, Sunday, where she must overcome her fellow Continental qualifiers before she can enter the main draw.
The challenge for Catantan will not end there as even if she secured her slot in round of 32, she could be pitted against the top bets in the field, including heavy-favorite in Tokyo gold medalist and ranked No. 1 Lee Kiefer of USA, Italian triumvirate Arriana Errigo, Martina Favaretto and Alice Volpi – all of whom were in the Top 4 in the FIE world rankings.
“Lagi po naming ibibigay namin ang best namin to perform at the highest level, syempre mataas ang expectation ko sa sarili ko and at the same time din alam kong hindi lang po ako ang nagtatrabaho,” said Catantan in a PSA Forum last May.
“Alam ko po na ang ibang fencers from different countries have been working hard not just this year but after Tokyo (Olympics) grabe na po ang training na pinagdaanan nila,” she added.
Aside from Catantan’s breaking the 32-year spell of Philippine fencing – or since Walter Torres competed in 1992 Barcelona – this year also marked the country’s 100th year of participation in the Olympics – the first time was also in Paris.
