THE Philippines’ Samantha Catantan captured a top 20 finish in the juniors women’s individual foil event of the 2021 World Junior and Cadet Fencing Championships held in Cairo, Egypt on Tuesday.
Fresh from her successful US NCAA debut for Penn State, Catantan won five of her six bouts in the ranking round and topped Almila Birce Durukan of Turkey, 15-10, in Round of 64.
The 19-year old Quezon City native then settled for 20th place following a 8-15 loss to eventual champion May Tieu of United States in the Round of 32.
Catantan, who earned All-American honors after helping the Nittany Lions finish second in last week’s US NCAA tournament, placed 17th place in the pools, winning all but one of her six bouts in the ranking round.
Lance Tan, the Philippines’ lone bet in the junior men’s individual foil, took 23rd place after a gutsy stand against 2018 Youth Olympics silver medalist Kenji Bravo of the United States in a 11-15 Round of 32 defeat.
A Sacred Heart sophomore, Tan scored a 15-11 win over the Netherlands’ Suhayl Nawar in the Round of 64 after taking four victories in six pool bouts.
Annika Santos joined Catantan in the Round of 64, but the US-based fencer lost to Russia’s Vitalina Anaschenkova, 1-15, to end up at 58th place.
Daena Talavera, another Filipina fencer based in the US, lost to Ireland’s Kaitlyn McGillione-Moore, 11-15, in the first round to finish in 69th place.
The 16-year old Talavera is also scheduled to play in the cadet women’s individual foil event.
Meanwhile, UAAP Season 82 men’s Rookie of the Year Miggy Bautista of Ateneo will participate in the epee event starting tomorrow.
