Samantha Kyle Catantan, unang Filipina fencer na maglalaro sa Olympics makalipas ang 32 taon

Transcript

00:00When it comes to sports, injuries are inevitable.

00:04But this did not stop Samantha Kyle Katantan

00:07from becoming the first homegrown Filipino fencer to play in the Olympics.

00:13This is what Daryl Oclares has to say.

00:19In the 2024 Olympics, fencing will return to Paris, France

00:24as one of the birthplaces of combat sports.

00:28Here, the best fencers in the world will come together

00:33including the Filipino fencer who won the 32-year drought of the Philippines in the Olympics.

00:40There is no one else but the top women's foil fencer of the Philippines, Samantha Kyle Katantan.

00:46I'm very blessed and thankful

00:48because it's been a long time since the last time a Filipino entered the Olympics when it comes to fencing.

01:00I wouldn't say that I made it, we made it.

01:03Katantan has already collected various colors of medals in various continental and world championships

01:10including her first medal for the women's foil in the 2021 Hanoi Southeast Asian Games.

01:18In 2021, Katantan almost made it to the Tokyo Olympics.

01:24But Katantan missed the Asia-Oceania Olympic Qualification in Uzbekistan that year

01:31but she managed to get a bronze medal.

01:34After the qualifiers, Katantan immediately returned to the studio

01:39to prepare for the upcoming tournaments before the Paris Olympics.

01:43This includes the 32nd Southeast Asian Games held in Cambodia in 2023.

01:50But unfortunately, Katantan suffered an ACL injury in her semifinal bout in the SEA Games

01:58and she couldn't defend her belt for the women's foil.

02:03Because of the injury, Katantan stopped fencing for several months

02:07and she didn't make it to the series of Olympic qualifying tournaments last year.

02:12Along with her return to her former strength and form,

02:16Katantan's desire to play in the Olympics didn't disappear that year.

02:22That's why she was determined to return to her national team duties

02:26and made it to the Asia-Oceania Olympic Qualifier in Pugera, United Arab Emirates.

02:32Just this April, Katantan made history as the first Filipino fencer to play in the Olympics

02:40following her dramatic comeback victory against Sofia Actavea of Kazakhstan.

02:46It's a God-answered prayer that I made it to the tournament.

02:50Katantan is a good example of the unparalleled determination of our Filipino athletes

02:56who, no matter how many times they fall, continue to rise until they achieve success.

03:01That's what Katantan will continue to bring not only to the Paris Olympics, but also to her next fights.

03:11I am Samantha Katantan, a fencer and Olympian, fighting for my country.

03:18Daryl Oclares for Pambansang TV in Bago, Filipinas.