PARIS (Via PLDT Home) — Maxine Esteban is on the cusp of her biggest fencing challenge yet. The Filipino-Ivorian athlete will face off against Tokyo silver medalist Pauline Ranvier in the round of 32 at the Paris Olympics. Her ultimate goal? To crack the world’s top 20 fencers.
“Reaching the Olympics is a dream come true,” Esteban said. “But I want to keep pushing myself. Making the top 20 would be a significant step forward.”
Esteban’s journey to the Olympics has been marked by intense training under Olympic gold coach Andrea Magro and a training camp with the Japanese national team. She qualified for Paris as the top-ranked fencer in Africa.
Her compatriot, Sam Catantan, also competes in the women’s foil. A tougher road lies ahead for Catantan, who must navigate the qualifying rounds before facing world number two Arianna Errigo of Italy.
A top-20 finish would be historic for a Filipino-born fencer and a testament to Esteban’s resilience. Despite leaving the Philippine Fencing Association to represent Ivory Coast, she remains a source of inspiration for young fencers in both countries.
“This Olympics is just the beginning,” she declared. “I want to inspire the next generation through hard work and determination.”
