Published April 6, 2021, 10:03 PM
Photo from Canlas Fencing Academy
Filipino fencer Sam Catantan suffered a heartbreaking 15-8 defeat to May Tieu of the US in the round-of-32 Tuesday, April 6, in the 2021 World Cadets/Juniors Fencing Championship in Cairo, Egypt.
Catantan’s 20th place finish was a big improvement from her 2019 stint in the tournament when she ended at 96th spot among 160-plus participants. Last year, the event was canceled due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
As a 17-year-old participant in 2019, Catantan placed 16th overall in the cadets category of the tournament, which led to Penn State’s offer for a spot in its fencing team with the Nittany Lions.
Published April 5, 2021, 5:35 PM
Sam Catantan, right, pre-fence during a practice session with Lance Tan in the 2021 Juniors/Cadets Fencing Championship set April 3 to 11 in Cairo, Egypt. (Photo from Lance Tan)
Filipino fencer Samantha Catantan said the experience she gained in the US NCAA Fencing Championship will help her in two important tournaments this month.
First of these events is the 2021 World Juniors/Cadets Fencing Championship in Cairo, Egypt.
“I’m no longer competing in the cadet category, so I am expecting tougher competition (in the juniors),” Catantan told
Manila Bulletin in a message exchange Monday.
Catantan, a freshman from Penn State University, is coming off an amazing run almost two weeks ago in the US NCAA when she went undefeated in pool play with a 20-0 record, which gave her the No. 1 spot in the semifinal.
Published April 4, 2021, 2:26 PM
Sam Catantan reacts after winning a match in the World Junior Fencing Championship in Poland. (Photo Courtesy of Canlas Fencing Academy)
Five fencers led by US NCAA campaigners Sam Catantan and Lance Tan will carry the national team colors as they compete in the 2021 World Juniors/Cadets Fencing Championship set April 3 to 11 in Cairo, Egypt.
Fresh from a tied for third place finish in the US NCAA Fencing Championship recently in Pennsylvania, the 19-year-old freshman Catantan of Penn State University hopes to improve from a “Sweet 16” stint in the cadet category of this same tournament two years ago in Poland.