Filipino-Ivorian fencer Maxine Esteban said her beloved Philippines will always be in her heart whenever she trains and competes in numerous tournaments and until she seeks qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics in the coming months even under a different flag.
“The environment of respect, honor, and equal opportunities I am currently experiencing is a much-needed comfort for me. If through my efforts, God rewards me with success, know that whatever triumphs I gain is a triumph of the Philippines as it is of the Ivory Coast,” said the 22-year-old Esteban now that she is getting comfortable training with her new teammates with the Ivorian women’s national team.
Last week Esteban finished third and won a bronze medal in the individual women’s foil category of the 2023 African championships in Cairo, Egypt.
This was her second tournament under the Cote D’Ivoire banner.
Esteban, who has been coached by Italian master Andrea Magro since they first met back in 2020, took a 14-15 setback to two-time Olympian Nora Mohammed of Egypt, and her effort to reach the semifinals allowed her to achieve two milestones in her career.
After reaching her highest world ranking last year, at no. 62, Esteban has gone even high to end up at a new career high of world no. 46.
She reached the semis after beating Youssra Sakarani of Egypt, 15-8.
Her latest international sortie came a month after she switched nationalities, opting to play under a different country, after years of competing for the Philippines.
“Because no matter what stage I will compete in, be it in a small tournament or—God willing—in the Olympics, the flag I represent only tells half the story. In my heart, I will always carry two inspirations: The land of my birth and the country I now call home,” said Esteban in a statement.
After she got accepted by her new teammates, Esteban is now the no. 1 ranked bet of Cote d’Ivoire, with Jennifer Danielle Kofi and Bintou Samira Soro joining her.
She and her teammates are now getting ready for the World Championships in Milan from July 23 to 26.