MAXINE Esteban is not one to let an injury slow her down.
Returning to action after an eight-month hiatus due to a back injury, the Filipino-Ivorian star secured a silver medal in the women’s individual foil category of the 23rd African Fencing Championships in Lagos, Nigeria recently.
“This medal means everything—it’s proof that patience and recovery pay off,” Esteban said.
And she’s just getting restarted.
Esteban has set her sights on the 2025 World Championship in Tbilisi, Georgia, next month before returning to the Philippines for a much-deserved homecoming and a fencing outreach program for young kids.
Esteban’s recent podium finish marks a strong comeback for the trailblazing fencer, who last competed at the Paris 2024 Olympics, finished with a final rank of 21, before taking time off to recover from a nagging back injury.
Esteban displayed razor-sharp form throughout the African championships, dispatching Algeria’s MalekTantast 15-3 in the round-of-16.
In the quarterfinals, she emerged victorious against Egypt’s Jana Ehab in a hard-fought duel, 15-12.
In the semifinals, the 24-year-old Esteban ousted Egypt No. 2 Malak Hamza, 15-8, to book a showdown against fellow 2024 Paris Olympian Sara Hossny.
Esteban settled for the silver after a 15-8 defeat in the battle for the crown.
In her homecoming in August, Esteban will hold a fencing camp for young Filipino hopefuls. The camp will be supported by sponsors, including Rebisco Extreme. Details will be announced soon.
