Noelito Jose Jr. and Wilhelmina Lozada showed flashes of brilliance to capture gold medals in their respective events at the Southeast Asian Fencing Federation Championships in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Thursday, Jan. 5.
Jose prevailed over Vietnam’s Nguyen Phuoc Den, 15-10, to rule the senior men’s epee event while Lozada clobbered another Vietnamese in Nguyen Thu Thu Phuong, 15-6, to reign supreme in the senior women’s foil.
Jose displayed his prowess early on when he thumped Cambodia’s Savoun Saknuk, 15-2, before besting compatriot Lee Eigran Ergina, 15-7.
He went on to defeat Indonesia’s Anggi Williansyah, 15-10, and Vietnam’s Dang Tuan Anh, 15-7, before edging Nguyen for the gold medal.
Lozada, meanwhile, had an easy start after earning an opening-round bye before routing Indonesia’s Elda Amelia Siahaan, 15-2.
She encountered stiff competition against teammate Janna Allysah Catantan with a close 15-12 victory before regaining her steam and trouncing Malaysia’s Surayya Rizzal, 15-5, on her way to the final round.
Meanwhile, Kaikaku Dela Serna finished 24th in the women’s saber after bowing in the opening round to Vietnamese Do Thu Trang, 15-7.
Other Filipino fencers are competing at press time that include Andre Dominic Agatep in the men’s saber; Sammuel Tranquilan, Joseph Den Amores, Reindelle Lacerna and Nathaniel Perez in men’s foil; and Cyrylle Anne Schofield, Marie Ong, Alexa Larrazabal, Princess Honey Arbilon, Andrea Jennelle Matias, Maria Juliana Gomez, Ivy Claire Dinoy and Hanniel Abella in women’s epee.