Catantan eyes Youth olympics

Fencer Samantha Kyle Catantan will have to go through the proverbial eye of the needle to qualify for the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The silver medalist in the women’s foil event of the Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, last year takes on the enormous challenge of securing a spot in the YOG through the Junior and Cadets World Fencing Championships on April 1 to 9 in Verona, Spain.

Maxine Isabel Esteban, who got a SEA Games bronze in the same event, will join the 15-year-old Catantan in the tournament that offers three Asian slots to the Youth Games.

“That’s how difficult it is to qualify,” said head coach Rolando Canlas. “The best of the best will be there and we’re hoping we can earn a spot in the Youth Olympics.”

The 11-athlete delegation also includes epee fencers Miggy Bautista and Jaymi delos Santos, saber performers Carla Arreza and Daniel Britanico and foil fencers Sammuel Tranquilan, Reynaldo Perez, Maricar Matienzo, Lance Tan and Prince John Felipe.

The Verona world meet is part of the fencers’ preparation for the Indonesia Asian Games in August and for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.