Samantha Catantan is determined to be better prepared for her next attempt at qualifying for the Olympics.
The 22-year-old fencer expressed her intent after narrowly losing to world No. 3 Arianna Errigo of Italy in the Table of 32 in the women’s foil event at the Paris Olympics, held Sunday at the Grand Palais.
“I’m happy with the outcome. I’m pleased that the match was close. It’s a shame I couldn’t win, but I’m ready to work hard for the next Olympics to win a medal,” said Catantan.
Catantan, who is scheduled to return to Manila on August 7, mentioned that she needs to assess an injury to her left back leg. She suspects she may have reinjured her meniscus during her 15-13 victory over Mariana Pistoia of Brazil in the Table of 64.
“Hopefully, it’s not torn. I was hesitant to attack when I was fighting Errigo. I was waiting for my opponent to finish her attack so I could counter with my back leg,” added Catantan, who was supported by her mother Aileen, who traveled to Paris with her.
Following her Olympic campaign, Catantan’s FIE world ranking soared from No. 266 to No. 87.
Catantan’s coach, Roland Canlas, noted that her injury hampered her performance against Errigo.
“The injury was a hindrance, but her body still managed to compete. We’ve proven that we can keep up with the best,” said Canlas.
