Fencer Catantan falls short of upset vs former world champion in Paris Olympics exit

MANILA, Philippines – Filipina fencer Samantha Catantan crashed out of the Paris Olympics, but not without giving her highly favored foe a major scare.

Catantan held her own against top seed and two-time world champion Arianna Errigo of Italy before she absorbed a close 15-12 loss in the round of 32 of the women’s individual foil at the Grand Palais on Sunday, July 28.

Significantly shorter and bothered by knee issues, Catantan punched above her weight and gave Errigo a run for her own money.

“I was really happy with the way I fenced today. Hopefully, I’ll be able to perform better in my next tournaments,” Catantan said in an interview with Cignal in a mix of Filipino and English.

Expectations were for Errigo to demolish Catantan, given her impressive credentials that include a team gold and an individual silver in the 2012 London Games.

Currently ranked second in the world behind reigning Olympic champion Lee Kiefer of the United States, Errigo also owns 22 medals from the World Fencing Championships, including 10 golds (eight in team and two in individual).

But Catantan proved to be no pushover as she erased an early 0-4 deficit, even seizing a 5-4 lead, and dragged Errigo to three rounds.

When Errigo moved on the cusp of victory at 14-10, Catantan fought back and got within striking distance again by winning the next two points.

Errigo, though, held her nerve and nailed the win-clinching point with a minute to spare in the third round to reach the round of 16.

Catantan said she endured mobility problems after hurting her left knee in the round of 64, where she clinched a come-from-behind 15-12 win over Brazil’s Mariana Pistoia.

The Penn State standout injured the same knee in the Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, last year and got sidelined for nearly 10 months.

“Actually, I have a problem with my meniscus after the first match. Hopefully, it did not tear or anything,” said Catantan. “My knee was loose so I was very hesitant to attack.”

“I’m very happy that the match was close, but unfortunately, it did not go my way.”

Catantan made history as she became the first Filipina female fencer to qualify for the Olympics after ruling the Asia-Oceania Zonal Olympic Qualifier in April.

She also ended the Philippines’ decades-long absence in Olympic fencing since Walter Torres represented the country in the 1992 Barcelona Games. – Rappler.com