Josel Sapitan

With pride, World's No. 266 Samantha Catantan bowed uneasily to Italy's Rank 2 fencer Arriana Errigo in the down-to-the-wire 12-15 match in the table of 32 women’s individual foil on Sunday, July 28 at the Grand Palais, France.

Photo Courtesy of Tiebreaker Times.

The country’s first Filipina Olympian fencer exited the 2024 Paris Olympics with great experience and high respect despite her first race in this level.

Catantan had to endure a 0-4 run from Errigo but managed to tie the scoreboard after unleashing four-straight points in the two remaining minutes of the first round.

The momentum shifted in the final minutes as Errigo regained the lead with quick back-to-back markers to seal the first round.

Italy's Errigo continued to showcase her top seed skills, delivering 11-6 imposing the second.

Holding the lead in the side of Italy, Catantan brought the score closer in the last minute after hitting two points, 12-14 in the last 1:12 of the match but fell short to steal the win.

“I’m very happy that the match was close, but unfortunately, it did not go my way,” said Catantan after the match.

Catantan ended her campaign in a close duel against the two-time World champ. The Filipina Olympian earlier fought with an apparent knee injury but was able to eliminate Brazilian player Mariana Pistoia to seize the place in the Table of 32.

“Actually, I have a problem with my meniscus after the first match…it did not tear or anything, My knee was loose so I was very hesitant to attack,” said Catantan with her injury.

Catantan’s qualification in this year's Olympics marks history after cutting Philippines' 32 years of absence since Walter Torres represented the country in the 1992 Barcelona games.

She was also staged as the first Filipina female fencer in Asia after she pocketed the ticket in the  Asia-Oceania Zonal Olympic Qualifier last April.