Filipino fencers from Canlas Fencing took home five of nine gold medals the Philippine delegation won in the 1st Malaysian Fencing Federation Minime International Tournament at the Arena Tan Sri Hamzah center inside the Olympic Council Malaysia indoor complex in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Antonio Manuel, a 14-year-old Grade 9 student at PAREF Northfield, ended his campaign as a double gold medalist with Sophie Catantan, after he won the U-14 men’s foil individual title by beating CF teammate and UE’s Brynt Gale 15-13 in the finals.
Manuel then spearheaded the U14 CF Team A with Gale, James Lim and Derek Perez to a 45-39 win against Blade KL Team A in the finals of the U14 men’s team foil event.
Cantantan, the third of four Catantan fencing sisters, led by Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Samantha Catantan, delivered a dramatic come-from-behind 15-14 win against Fan Bo Yee of Hong Kong to rule the Under-16 women’s individual foil.
The young Catantan, a13-year-old Grade 7 student at University of the East, got back at Yee following a painful 15-10 loss to Fan during the U14 finals.
Also shining for Canlas Fencing was Zoe Atilano, who took home the gold in the under-14 women’s sabre for CF, which joined a strong 55-man team in the 10-nation tournament.
Catantan earned her second gold medal when she anchored CF Team A with fellow Red Warriors Aubrey Pauline Fernandez and Meg Gervacio, as well as Kaijinsei dela Serna to a thrilling 44-43 win against Hong Kong.
Manuel, a 14-year-old Grade 9 student at PAREF Northfield, also finished the tournament a double gold medalist as he won the U-14 men’s foil individual title by beating CF teammate and UE’s Brynt Gale 15-13 in the finals. Manuel also powered the U14 CF Team A with Gale, James Lim and Derek Perez to a 45-39 win against Blade KL Team A in the finals of the U14 men’s team foil event.
Atilano, a Grade 8 student at Waldorf, eked out a similar 15-13 comeback victory over top seed Moon Hae In of Korea in the U14 women’s sabre.
The feats put CF to third out of 26 different clubs from 10 countries with five gold medals, eight silvers and 18 bronze medals.
Hong Kong Fencing School topped the medal tally with six gold medals, five silvers and two bronzes, while Valor Fencing Academy of host Malaysia came in third overall with 6–0-2 medal collection. Modern Pentathlon of the Philippines collected four gold medals all in epee events.