SAMANTHA Catantan is happy to be with Maxine Esteban in the Olympics, and even looking forward to compete against her now that her former teammate is competing for Ivory Coast.
Catantan said she has no control of whoever she faces when she competes in the knockout competition of the foil event, so she is preparing for anyone in the Paris Olympics.
COMMENTARY: It was never Catantan vs Esteban
The Filipina fencer though said she looks forward to facing a very good friend in Esteban, who also made it to the Olympics last March after being naturalized by Ivory Coast, if it happens.
“Siyempre po, external factors na po ‘yun na we can’t control,” said Catantan during Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum. “If ever na magtatapat po kami, competition. In a normal tournament, we are rivals pero only on the strip (fencing’s competition area).”
Catantan and Esteban were teammates when they captured the silver in the women’s team foil of the 2021 Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi. It was also in the same SEA Games where Catantan captured the gold in the individual foil.
Catantan settled for a silver medal in the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia after suffering an ACL in the competition.
“Pero outside of that, we are very good friends. No matter what, I’m very excited to fence any of them kasi alam ko na hindi naman sila nakarating ng Olympics dahil hindi nila deserve,” said Catantan.
Catantan made it through the Olympics after ruling the Asia-Oceania Zonal Qualifying Tournament in Dubai last April, defeating Sofiya Aktayeva of Kazakhstan, 15-14.
“The fact na may pagkakataon ako na makalaban ang kahit sino sa kanila, I’m looking forward to that opportunity,” said Catantan, who is also competing for Penn State in the US NCAA Division I.
National coach Ronald Canlas is hoping that Catantan and Esteban won’t be facing each other, at least early in the tournament.
“Mas gusto namin na hindi pa makalaban,” said Catantan. “Nandoon ka na, ibang country ang makalaban. Si Sam at Maxine, matagal naging mag-teammate. Sila naman talaga ang laging naglalaban. Pinagpe-pray namin, mas gusto namin na hindi maglaban.”
“Pero kung ‘yun talaga ‘yung bracket namin, paghahandaan namin,” said Canlas.
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