THE Philippines’ fencing team has emerged as a dominant force at the Southeast Asian Fencing Championships, bagging four golds in the competition that ends on Tuesday (December 10) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Leading the charge was Olympic hopeful Nathaniel Perez, who claimed gold in the Men’s Foil event.
Perez’s victory not only added to his growing list of achievements, but also marked a significant step toward his goal of representing the Philippines at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
After narrowly missing out on a slot for Paris 2024, Perez remains undeterred in his Olympic dream, buoyed by the support of the Ayala Foundation, which has been instrumental in his training.
In the Women’s Foil event, Wilhelmina Lozada successfully defended her title, earning back-to-back championships, while fellow Filipino fencer Janna Catantan collared the silver.
In the Men’s Épée, Noelito Jose delivered a heart-stopping performance in the final, edging Vietnam’s Phuoc Den Nguyen in a 15-14 thriller.
Jose’s path to the gold was marked by emphatic victories, including decisive wins over Malaysia’s Mohd Maideen and Yam Ethan, as well as Vietnam’s Nguyen Minh Hieu.
The Women’s Sabre team achieved a remarkable podium sweep with Charmaine Andres plucking the gold over former SEA Games champion Jylyn Nicanor with a commanding 15-8 win in the final.
Nicole Cortey, who narrowly lost to Andres in the semifinals, took the bronze, to complete the sweep.
Other notable performances included Ashley-May Michelle Harrison, who earned a silver medal in the Women’s Épée Individual event, and Shawn Nicollei Felipe, who took home bronze in the Men’s Foil.
