Jannah Catantan reclaimed the women’s individual foil title to propel University of Santo Tomas to the early lead in the women’s division of the UAAP Season 87 Fencing Championships, Tuesday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Malate, Manila.
The national team standout dominated the field, capping off her impressive run with a clinical 15-3 win over defending champion Nana Carbonell of University of the Philippines in the gold medal match — securing her second title in the event.
Catantan, who swept her pool that also included Carbonell, went on to breeze past Ateneo de Manila University’s Bea Ursolino, 15-0, and then toppled reigning MVP Queenie Dalmacio of University of the East, 15-8, to book her place in the gold medal match.
“Pinaka lesson na natutunan ko last year is not to pressure myself too much. Physically, technically, wala talaga rin ako masyadong binago, it’s more on mentally preparing myself kasi po alam ko do’n talaga ko nagkulang — mentally and emotionally — last year. And kaya heading into this competition, ang preparation ko talaga is not to be too hard on myself, taking time to rest especially if hindi po talaga kaya. And it works,” said the 32nd Southeast Asian Games bronze medalist.
(“The biggest lesson I learned last year is not to pressure myself too much. Physically and technically, I didn’t really change much — it was more about mentally preparing myself, because I knew that’s where I really fell short last year — mentally and emotionally. So heading into this competition, my preparation was really about not being too hard on myself, allowing myself to rest especially when I really couldn’t push anymore. And it works.”)
“Mabuti rin po na na-realize ko po ‘yon kasi even before I feel like I’m really pressuring myself too much when, in fact, naco-compromise na po ‘yung performance. Kaya ‘yon, naging mabait lang po talaga ako sa sarili ko,” she added.
(“It’s also a good thing that I realized that, because even before, I felt like I was really putting too much pressure on myself, and in fact, it was already compromising my performance. So yeah, I just chose to be kinder to myself.”)
UP’s Mariel Flores and UE’s Dalmacio rounded out the podium in the women’s foil, the first event in the women’s division this season.
On the men’s side, De La Salle University’s Christian Buenaventura pulled off a thrilling upset over UST’s reigning back-to-back men’s sabre champion Eunice Villanueva with a 15-14 victory in the gold medal match, putting the Green Fencers ahead after the morning session.
The 24-year-old senior only needed one more touch to clinch La Salle’s first gold of the season, but Villanueva fought back to tie the bout at 14-all. In the end, Buenaventura held his nerve and landed a decisive counter to seal the win.
“When he was able to tie the match, that shook me a little bit, especially when I thought the touch before that was mine. In the end, I kind of went back to what I was saying before: to reset and think about what to do next, and was able to focus on what I need,” shared Buenaventura.
“After the previous three years, in my mind, it’s about time (I got one). I feel like in the previous years, I underperformed, but this time, I finally performed the way I should,” he added.
UE’s campaign for a 13-peat in the boys’ division also got off to a golden start, thanks to Bryn Gale’s victory in the boys’ epee event. The 16-year-old Junior Warrior defeated Ateneo’s Samuel Gatmaytan, 15-10, in the final — following in the footsteps of his brother, Von Eubert, a former champion in the same weapon.
“Masaya po kasi nakakuha ako ng gold and nakatulong ako sa university namin. And sana proud siya (referring to his brother) na nakuha ko rin ‘yung gold katulad niya,” Gale said.
(“I’m happy because I was able to win a gold medal and help our university. And I hope he’s proud (referring to his brother) that I also won a gold just like he did.”)
In the men’s sabre division, UE’s Charles Babatio and Ateneo’s Andre Agatep shared the bronze, while UST’s John Malinao and UE’s Ruzel Gallano secured the remaining bronze medals in the boys’ epee event.
