Since transitioning to fencing four years ago, 16-year-old Fil-Australian fencer Ashley Mae Abesamis-Harrison has made remarkable progress.
Swapping her taekwondo uniform and black belt for the electrically conductive jacket known as a lamé, Harrison achieved her highest international ranking this year, securing the 97th spot in the Fédération Internationale d’Escrime (FIE) standings.
Her rise in the rankings comes after a string of international competitions that caught the attention of national coach Rolando “Amat” Canlas.
In November, Harrison competed in her first Junior World Cup, placing 114th in the women’s under-20 épée event in Hong Kong. Filipina counterpart Alexa Larrazabal finished ahead of her at 88th place.
“It was my first world cup, and it was a very good experience competing with athletes at a higher level, especially in the under-20 category,” said Harrison. Her father, Michael, is from Melbourne, while her mother, Cherry Mae, hails from Palo, Leyte.
Harrison’s achievements were recognized recently at the Nickel Asia Corporation Siklab Youth Sports Awards 2024, where she received the Youth Heroes Award during a ceremony at Market! Market! Activity Center in Ayala Malls, Bonifacio Global City.
Among her notable performances, this season was an 11th-place finish at the Asian Junior and Cadet Fencing Championships in Bahrain last February. In April, she placed 157th in the under-20 World Championships held in Riyadh. Her participation in the Asian Senior Fencing Championships in Kuwait last June earned her a 30th-place finish, improving her women’s ranking to 172.
“They [my opponents] have more experience, but these events have been great learning opportunities for me,” said Harrison, whose father works as an information technology specialist at Amazon.
Harrison’s exceptional performance this season has placed her among four junior fencers being considered for the national team for the 2025 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand.
At the Southeast Asian Fencing Federation (SEAFF) Championships 2024, held at the Tan Sri Hamzah Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Harrison achieved her best individual result this season, winning a silver medal in the senior women’s épée. She lost to Vietnam’s Nguyen Phuong Kim in the finals but made a strong impression.
Plans are underway to include Harrison in higher-level competitions, including the SEA Games. She also secured a gold medal in the team event, partnering with Janna Catantan, Sophia Catantan, and Wilhelmina Lozada.
“She has a bright future and great potential,” said Canlas.
Sophia Catantan, the younger sister of Olympian Samantha Catantan, may join Harrison alongside University of the East standouts Khiane Felipe and Christian Concepcion in the national squad.
The final composition of the national team, still anchored by veteran fencers Nathaniel Perez and Noelito Jose, will be announced by June, with selected athletes set to participate in a series of training camps.
