UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas fencer Janna Catantan retained the women’s foil honors of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 87 Fencing Championships, which started Tuesday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Malate, Manila.
The 21-year-old Catantan, who bagged a bronze in the 2023 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, turned back Marina Carbonell, 15-3, in the finals.
Catantan, an occupational therapy student, who decided to play her final year with the Tigresses, made it to the championship round after first sweeping her four-game pool assignment.
Catantan, the younger sister of Paris Olympics veteran Sam Catantan, got past Beatrice Ursolino, 15-0, in the quarterfinals.
In the semifinals, Catantan outplayed four-time MVP Queenie Dalmacio, 15-8, before facing Carbonell.
In the men’s sabre, Christian Buenaventura snared the crown with a 15-4 triumph over Daniel Villanueva, while Bryant Gale took the boys’ epee plum with his 15-10 stopping of Ateneo’s Samuel Gatmaytan.
Buenaventura prevailed over UE’s Charles Babatio, 15-11, in the semis, and UST’s Larco Cortez, 15-10, earlier in the quarterfinals.
Earlier, Buenaventura made it to the direct elimination round after pulling off a four-game sweep in the pool matches.
University of the East seeks to extend its dominance in the sport, as it look for a fourth consecutive quadruple team championship.
UE’s Men’s and Girls’ squads are fighting for their 11th consecutive crowns, while the women’s team is in search of a four-peat.
