At A Glance
- Fresh from her debut in the 2024 Paris Olympics, fencer Sam Catantan will take a much needed break to rest and recover when she undergoes a knee surgery to repair a recurring injury.
Fresh from her debut in the 2024 Paris Olympics, fencer Sam Catantan will take a much needed break to rest and recover when she undergoes a knee surgery to repair a recurring injury.

The 22-year-old athlete is scheduled for an ACL reconstruction this week which, according to her doctors, needs eight month to fully heal.
“On Friday, I will have my surgery and it's going to be a challenge again for the next few months for me,” said Catantan Wednesday, Aug. 14, during their homecoming celebration at the Newport World Resorts in Pasay City.
In spite of the delay of her preparations for Los Angeles 2028, Catantan knows her surgery is a must and stressed that she’s focusing on recovery rather than rushing things to be fixed.
“But of course, I really want to be in the Olympics again and I'm going to take my time to recover. Because last year, we really rushed the recovery for me to make it to Paris and we were able to do that,” said Catantan.
“For now I really want to focus on what's in front of me, the recovery right after my upcoming surgery,” she added.
After her operation, the FIE ranked No. 87 will have her rehab in the US while pursuing her masters degree in Accountancy at Penn State University.
SEAG redemption
After twisting her left knee in Phnom Penh, Catantan is up for redemption when she competes again in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand next year.
With her heartbreaking silver medal finish, Catantan will try to reclaim the crown she lost in Cambodia edition