Samantha Kyle Catantan (right) qualifies for the Paris Olympics following her triumph at the Asian Oceania Olympic Qualification Tournament.
FUJAIRAH, United Arab Emirates – Samantha Kyle Catantan paved the way for the 2024 Paris Olympics by dominating the Asia Oceania Olympic Qualification Tournament on Saturday night.
Hampered by a sore knee, Catantan overcame the odds to cruise to a 15-14 victory over Kazakhstan's Sofia Actayeva in the women's foil final at the Zayed Sports Complex.
“This is a dream come true. I worked hard all these years just to be here and achieve this,” said Catantan, who burst into tears after her final lunge at the taller Actayeva.
READ: Samantha Catantan ready for Olympic qualifiers
Fencing coach Rolando “Amat” Canlas Jr. hugged Catantan tightly and cried with her as Filipino fans led by former Philippine Sports Commission chairman and cheerleader Harry Angping, along with national team teammates, rushed to the center from the place and screamed.
She is the 12th Filipina to book a trip to the Paris Olympics, joining pole vaulter EJ Obiena, boxers Nesthy Petecio, Aira Villegas, Eumir Marcial, gymnasts Carlos Yulo, Aleah Finnegan and Levi Jung-Ruivivar, and to weightlifters Vanessa Sarno, Elreen Ando and John Ceniza and rower Joanie Delgaco.
Catantan broke the decades-long drought in Philippine fencing at the Olympics since Walter Torres donned the national colors at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
The Filipino fencing ace injured her left knee with the match tied at 13, but the fighter in her performed the almost improbable heroic act and submitted the Kazakh.
Catantan advanced to the final after upsetting South Korea's Sena Hong 15-3 in the semi-finals that set up the gold match against Aktayeva, who eliminated Thailand's Chayanutphat Shinnakerdchoke.
READ: Paris Olympics hopeful Samantha Catantan making big strides in US
The Korean was electrocuted from the start as Catantan quickly took a 6-2 lead in the first set.
Catantan never wavered from there, deflecting all of Hong's attacks and converting them in his favor.
When the third round arrived, Catantan made life even more difficult for Hong, whose efforts to turn everything in his favor were in vain.
Six consecutive points from Catantan in the third set abruptly ended the highly anticipated clash with still more than a minute remaining.
Catantan erased the memory of a semi-final exit at the previous continental OQT, where she was eliminated from the semi-final and missed the bus to the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
Only the individual champion in all three weapons – foil, epee and saber – will advance to Paris, so a defeat is completely unacceptable.
Catantan, who won the gold medal at the 2021 Southeast Asian Games and silver at the 2023 edition in Cambodia, overcame Israa Al Siyabi of Oman, 154, in the quarterfinals.
After Al Siyabi scored the opening point early in the first set, Catantan immediately counterattacked with 10 consecutive points in less than two minutes, turning the projected suspense into an annihilation.
With the opening set ending in Catantan's favor by a mile, 11-3, all she did was practically try hard to put Al Siyabi out of her misery.
Unable to save your signature. Please try again.
Your subscription was successful.
It was quick as Catantan sealed his semi-final clash against Hong with almost two minutes remaining in the second round.
