FILIPINO fencers need more overseas quality competitions to be able to build their confidence and perform better on the international stage, according to national coach Roland Amat and outstanding young fencer Samantha Catantan.
This was among the valuable lessons that Amat and Catantan shared yesterday from their stint in the Asia-Oceania Olympic fencing qualifying tournament in Tashkent, Uzbekistan during the Philippine Sportswriters Association online forum.
“‘Yong confidence po talaga kasi ‘yon pong feel na wala kaming mga Filipino athletes. Pero hindi kasing confident ng ibang mga foreign fencers. Hindi kami nakakalaro sa ganoong competitions tulad nila,” said Catantan, who won a bronze medal in the women’s individual foil event of the meet.
“Hindi man po tayo pinalad ngayong mag-qualify marami pa rin po akong natutunan na puwedeng gawin upang makapasok sa (2024) Paris Olympics,” added the former UE fencing standout in the public sports program backed by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., San Miguel, Smart and Milo.
Amat felt the same way, saying: “Anduon ‘yong skills, ‘yong training, technique wise, pero talaga pong nagkakatalo sa puso. Patibayan ng puso talaga. ‘Yon ang advantage ni Sam. Hindi lang siya magaling kundi matapang din.
“Magaling din naman tayo kaya lang pag-dating sa mga pressure situations, bumibitaw.
Kaya tumaas ang level ni Sam kasi napapadala natin siya sa mga world-class competitions. Kailangan natin ng world-class competitions,” Amat added.
He said that based on what he saw in the Tashkent event “we have more chances of qualifying for the Olympics in the women’s events. What we need is to develop younger fencers with the skills and courage of Sam (Catantan’s nickname) in the sabre and epee.”
