At A Glance
- Samantha Catantan admitted that she is yet to reach her sharp form despite qualifying for the US NCAA Fencing Championships set to take place from March 21 to 24 in Columbus, Ohio.
BEYOND THE GAME
Catantan content with fencing return as grind continues
By Brian Yalung
Samantha Catantan admitted that she is yet to reach her sharp form despite qualifying for the US NCAA Fencing Championships set to take place from March 21 to 24 in Columbus, Ohio.

The 22-year-old is on the comeback trail after getting sidelined for 9 months due to an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injury. While revealing that she is yet to regain her full potential, Catantan admits that her health is getting better and that it may only be a matter of time before she recalls her old form.
“I’m not quite at 100% yet, but I'm getting closer every day. Currently, I still need to wear a functional brace for additional support while fencing. It's a temporary measure until I fully regain confidence in my movement,” Catantan said in an interview.
Considering she had to overcome harrowing months of recovery from her injury, Catantan admits being happy to be able to return to the sport she loves.
“I'm very happy with my performance, especially considering this was my international comeback tournament. It may not have been the best result but I'm proud of the progress I've made and the level of fencing I achieved in the competition,” she said.
With the US NCAA Fencing Championship happening in a couple of days, Catantan said she needs to address some minor things to raise her level of performance.
“My preparation involves physical training and mental conditioning to ensure I'm at my best for the competition,” she shared.
Beyond the upcoming NCAA Fencing Championships, the Filipina fencer also detailed what is ahead for her after missing an entire year due to her injury.
“I will compete in Dubai at the Zonal Olympic Qualifying event for Paris 2024, which is an exciting opportunity to look forward to,” she ended.