Philippine fencer grittily advances to SEA Games final despite knee injury

Catantan twisted her ankle near the end of her semifinal duel with Singapore’s Kamei Cheung on Friday afternoon when the score was 13-6.

The injury left her in great pain as she was reduced to tears while receiving medical assistance.

However, Catantan showed she still had many fights left in her as the 21-year-old was determined to finish the semifinal duel, scoring 2 more points to earn her the victory and set up a highly-anticipated final against Maxine Jie Xin Wong of Singapore.

Unfortunately, Catantan would not be able to defend the gold medal won in the Hanoi SEA Games last year. She was carried out of the arena on a stretcher since she could hardly stand on her own.

Philippines’ Samantha Kyle Lim Catantan (L), with an injured leg, receives the silver medal in the women’s foil individual at SEA Games 32 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, together with Singapore’s gold medalist Maxine Xie Jin Wong and bronze medalists Singapore’s Kemei Cheung and Malaysia’s Surayya Rizzal, May 12, 2023. Photo by Reuters/Cindy Liu

Richard Gomez, Philippine Fencing Association president, said they would not risk aggravating her injured knee, and she had decided not to compete anymore.

Although she had to settle for a silver medal, Cantantan’s courage and relentless fighting spirit won her admiration and spectators’ hearts.