TALK about conquering tough odds and Samantha Kyle Catantan outperformed even herself, Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino said of the fencer who became the 12th Filipino athlete to officially qualify for the Paris Olympics.
"Samantha Catantan rose beyond adversity and proved herself deserving of an Olympic spot," Tolentino said on Sunday just hours after Catantan earned her ticket to Paris by winning the women's foil gold medal at the Asia-Oceania Olympic Qualification Tournament in Fujairah, the United Arab Emirates.
"She really fought for it to the end and I'm really happy to see her success just like the other Paris-bound Filipino athletes before her," Tolentino added.
Catantan had no other choice but win the gold medal for her to qualify for Paris — she did that with drama.
The 22-year-old Catantan, an Olympic Solidarity scholar through the POC, overcame a two-point deficit to beat Kazakhstan's Sofia Actayeva, 15-14, in the gold medal play of the final qualifying tournament for Olympic fencing at the Zayed Sports Complex.
What made her feat more remarkable was that Cantantan became the first Filipino fencer to qualify for the Olympics since Walter Torres, now a commissioner of the Philippine Sports Commission, competed in Barcelona 1992.
"She really worked hard to put the Philippines back on the world fencing map after 32 years and we're very proud of her," said Tolentino, adding Catantan will join the other Filipino Olympians at the Metz training camp in France a month ahead of the Games.
Catantan joined pole vaulter EJ Obiena, boxers Eumir Felix Marcial, Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas, gymnasts Carlos Yulo, Aleah Finnegan and Levi Jung-Ruivivar, weightlifters Vanessa Sarno, Elreen Ann Ando and John Febuar Ceniza, and rower Joanie Delgaco on Team Philippines to the Olympics set from July 26 to August 11.
Catantan beat Oman's Israa Al Siyabi, 15-4, in the quarterfinal and upset top seed Sena Hong of South Korea in semifinal, 15-3.
Two other Filipinos — Nathaniel Perez (men's foil) and Hanniel Abella (women's epee) — also targeted tickets to Paris later Sunday.
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