OLYMPIC-bound fencer Samantha Catantan believes she has become mentally stronger and smarter from the career-threatening ACL injury that she suffered in the Cambodia Southeast Asian Games last year.
“Hindi ko na sinasabi na thankful ako sa injury. But looking back, I am grateful for the experience. Now, I feel smarter than before. My mental game has been strengthened,” said Catantan, 22, yesterday during the Philippine Sportswriters Association forum at the Philippine Sports Commission conference room.
The defending Southeast Asian Games women’s foil champion, she injured her left knee while competing in the semifinals of the Cambodia Games.
She underwent surgery under noted sports surgeon Dr. Raul Canlas, followed by months of intensive recovery and rehabilitation while returning to the US as the skipper of the Penn State varsity fencing squad.
“Since I don’t completely trust my left leg, I had to be smarter in beating my opponent,” said the petite fencer, who came from behind to edge the taller Sofia Aktayeva of Kazakhstan 15-14 in the Asia-Oceania Olympic Qualifying Tournament finals in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates last month.
Joining her in the public sports program backed by San Miguel Corp., Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Smart, Milo and gaming portal Arena Plus was national coach Amat Canlas.
Canlas revealed that upon the invitation of Italian Penn State fencing coach Matteo Zennaro, a former national junior foil champ, his prized ward would train with the Italian national team from June 12 to 29 in Venice, Italy at the school’s expense.
He added that he would rejoin Catantan once she starts training with the rest of the Philippine Olympic contingent in Metz, France before they enter the Paris Games Village and she competes on July 29.
Catantan , who will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the prestigious US school on Aug. 10, said that as much as possible she would like to avoid facing former national teammate Maxine Esteban, who now competes for Ivory Coast, in the early rounds of the women’s foil event in Paris.
