Samantha Catantan is the first fencer to compete for the Philippines at the Olympics since 1992. Here’s all you need to know about the Gen Z athlete headed off to Paris 2024.
Related: Here Are All The Filipino Athletes Competing At The 2024 Paris Olympics
Samantha Catantan, Philippines-born and raised, is a Filipino fencer making the nation proud. The 22-year old is one of the Filipino athletes currently in France preparing for the biggest sporting event of their careers thus far. Debuting on the Paris 2024 Olympic stage, she’s the only Filipino to compete in fencing in this year’s Games—and the first in 32 years. But who is this young fencer making a name for herself in the international fencing world?
The 2024 Olympic Games commences July 26, with sports events running until August 11. After crossing oceans for years to train, represent, compete, and learn, Samantha’s embarking on the biggest, most difficult challenge of her fencing journey yet. She’s competed in tournaments and represented the Philippines before, but making it to the Olympics is a major milestone that could end with even more Ws under her belt. Wish Samantha luck, and get to know the young fencer below before the referee calls en garde.
SHE’S A RIGHT-HANDED FOIL FENCER
Stock up on your fencing knowledge so you can keep up with Sam at the Olympics. Fencing is one of the oldest sports in the Olympics, having been an official Game since the first Modern Games in 1896. Foil is one of the three disciplines of fencing named after the respective blades used in each one. There’s foil, épée, and the sabre, with foil being the most commonly used.
Samantha is a right-handed foil fencer, and will be competing in the women’s foil event at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on July 28, after qualifying at the 2024 Asia and Oceania Zonal Qualifying Tournament.
A FENCER OF FIRSTS
The Philippines hasn’t sent in a fencer to represent the country at the Olympics since 1992—our first and last entry to the Games was Walter Torres. Samantha is the first fencer since then to make it to the Games, and the first Filipino woman to qualify and enter. The Olympics haven’t even started, but she’s already making history. She did that!
SHE’S BEEN REPRESENTING THE PH SINCE SHE WAS 14
Samantha has been training since she was young, and has been a member of the Philippine National Fencing Team since she was 14. At 15, she made her representative debut at the 2017 Southeast Asian Games, where she won the silver medal. She went on to go to the University of the East and train as part of the high school junior fencing team, competing in the UAAP and earning an MVP title. Samantha also won the gold medal at the 2021 SEA Games, making her a decorated fencer heading into this year’s Olympics.
SHE WAS TRAINED RIGHT HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES
The homegrown Samantha is a fencer from the Quezon City Sports Enhancement Program, a grassroots sports program that opened opportunities for her to compete in tournaments and get scholarships, too. She first started training when she was nine years old, and she’s even returned to the program to hold clinics and inspire other young athletes to pursue fencing.
Samantha also trained with fellow fencer Maxine Esteban, who now competes under the flag of the Ivory Coast after issues with the Philippine Fencing Association. Despite competing for themselves and for different nations, she’s more than excited to see her former teammate at the Summer Olympics. Fencing excellence.
SHE’S PURSUING A MASTER’S DEGREE ABROAD
After graduating from the University of the East and leading her team to multiple victories, Samantha got an offer to fence in the professional college scene from the Pennsylvania State University. She’s majoring in Accounting with a minor in Legal Environment of Business. From her freshman season up until now (she’s currently Women’s Team Captain of the Penn State Fencing Team), she’s trained and won several competitions, scoring victories and honors left and right, all while earning her master’s degree (and a minor, too, at that)!
SHE’S AS DETERMINED AS THEY COME
During her qualifying performance at the 2024 Asia and Oceania Zonal Qualifying Tournament in the UAE earlier this year, Samantha incurred a red-card penalty. She also injured her knee from a lunge—the same knee that she hurt at the Southeast Asian Games last year. Despite it all, the fencer powered through, cinching a win that ensured she would be on a plane to Paris 2024 soon, proud and ready to make her Olympic debut.
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