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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Sam Catantan to see action in National American Cup

Sam Catantan to see action in National American Cup

Published Jun 3, 2021 11:40 pm

Samantha Catantan during the US NCAA Fencing Championship in Pennsylvania. (US NCAA Images)

Penn State University freshman Samantha Catantan is set to see action in the National American Cup on June 4 to 7 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center in Virginia, USA.

This will be the first tournament for Catantan since she earned a bronze medal during the Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) for Asia for the Tokyo Olympics last May in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

The 19-year-old Catantan said the event serves as a good exposure for her as she continues to prepare for the 31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games on Nov. 21 to Dec. 2 in Hanoi, Vietnam.

“It’s a big tournament here in the US, the best fencers are expected to join,” said Catantan. “So it’s a big help for me, a very good exposure in my preparation for this year’s SEA Games.”

After settling with a bronze medal during the 2019 SEA Games here, Catantan is expected to vie for the gold medal in the women’s individual foil event in Vietnam against defending champion and Tokyo Olympics-bound fencer Amita Berthier of Singapore.

Catantan twice edged Berthier in pool play of two big tournaments this year.

First was during the preliminaries of the US NCAA Fencing Championship in Pennsylvania, where Catantan defeated Berthier as part of her impressive 20-0 record in the tournament.

The two made it to the semifinal round but lost to their respective opponents to settle with bronze medals.

In the OQT in Uzbekistan, Catantan again downed Bethier in the opening rounds, although Berthier won her semifinal bout against Mona Shaito of Lebanon, while Catantan lost hers to Yana Alborova of Uzbekistan.

Berthier went on to win in the final against Alborova to secure the lone Olympic spot in women’s individual foil event.

The event in Virginia, which is organized by USA Fencing, will be Catantan’s last before she returns home on June 20 as she participates in the National Open set July 3 to 11 in Ormoc City.

The said tournament serves as the qualifiers for national team slots for the biennial meet in Vietnam.

Fencing national team mentor Amat Canlas hopes to put together a competitive squad capable of surpassing the medal haul of two gold medals, two silvers and seven bronze medals in the last SEA Games.

“That’s the goal, we want to surpass that in Vietnam,” said Canlas.

Two years ago, Jylyn Nicanor won the gold medal in the women’s individual saber, while the women’s epee team of Hanniel Abella, Mickyle Bustos, Anna Estimada and Harlene Raguin.

Related Tags

vietnam US NCAA Penn State University Hanoi Southeast Asian Games Samantha Catantan Amat Canlas Philippine fencing team
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