Sam Catantan at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games. POC Media
Several Filipino fencers crashed out of contention at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games.
Some members of the squad, led by Olympian Sam Catantan, absorbed unfortunate defeats against their respective opponents, Wednesday at the Aichi Sky Expo.
Catantan reached the quarterfinals, but bowed to South Korea’s Park Jihee, 15-10, in the women’s individual foil event.
“I’m really proud with how I fenced today. Up to the end, I did not give up. So I’m very proud of that. Unfortunately, it’s sports, it could go either way,” Catantan said.
“One of my main goals for this tournament is to see where I’m at currently and work after to be better and to hopefully get better results for the upcoming Olympic qualifying season,” she added.
Catantan’s younger sister, Janna, fell to Singapore’s Maxine Jie Xin Wong, 15-2, in the round of 32 of the women’s individual foil event.
Christian Jhester Concepcion lost to Iran’s Mohammad Fotouhi Firozabad, 15-7, in the round of 16, while Eunice Daniel Villanueva could not take care of business against Saudi Arabia’s Adel Mukhlid Almutairi, 15-9.
Hopes are not totally lost as four more fencers will compete on Thursday, with Jian Miguel Bautista and Noelito Jose Jr. competing in men’s épée and Jylyn Nicanor and Queen Denice Dalmacio in women’s sabre individual events.