Members of the national men’s and women’s fencing teams are spending another week to train in Ormoc City.
National coach Amatov Canlas said that the national squad got approval to remain in city after Metro Manila was placed under Enhanced Community Quarantine status early this month.
“We have been here for two and a half months. So this Sunday na kami uuwi,” said Canlas.
The 16-member national team, led by Southeast Asian Games women’s sabre gold medallist Jylyn Nicanor, will be leaving next week for the Asian Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Uzbekistan from April 25 to 26 to seek berths in the Tokyo Olympics.
Nicanor, a University of the East student, has been working out with her teammates at the facilities of the Ormoc City Central School.
With her is schoolmate Mickyle Bustos, a member of the national women’s epee team, which earned a gold in the SEA Games.
“Nagdagdag lang kami ng sparring partners, iyung ibang nasa national team, kasi preparation din ito for SEA Games,” said Canlas.
Queen Dalmacio, another UE student-athlete, is part of the national squad which bagged a bronze in the women’s team saber.
Other members of the team are Justine Tinio (women’s foil), Wilhelmina Lozada (team women’s foil), CJ Concepcion (individual men’s saber), Eric Brando (team men’s saber), Nathaniel Perez (individual men’s) and Shawn Felipe (men’s foil).
US NCAA standout Samantha Catantan will join the team following her memorable stint with Penn State University, which took runner-up honors in Division 1 of the US NCAA competitions.
Canlas said Catantan also joined the world junior and cadet championships in Egypt last week and managed to settle for 20th place. Peter Atencio
