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How fencing wonder Maxine Esteban inspires social change

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes and 59 seconds
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Pushing her initiatives in helping athletes build the necessary skills to navigate the pressures of sports and life beyond

In the vibrant world of fencing, where precision meets passion, few names shine as brightly as Filipino-Ivorian Maxine Esteban.

Esteban’s journey from collecting silver and bronze medals at several Southeast Asian (SEA) Games to finally stepping onto the Olympic stage is a testament of her unwavering grace and dedication.

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Now, the 24-year-old fencing star wants to focus more on supporting Philippine sports through her advocacies of mental health awareness, legislation, and education.

“Education is a right, not a privilege,” Esteban told Manila Standard in an exclusive interview.

Her Maxine Esteban Student Foundation, wherein she currently sponsors student-athletes from Ateneo de Manila University and Jubilee Christian Academy, empowers students to reach full potential both on and off the field.

“Through my advocacy on education, I envision helping financially challenged student-athletes focus on training while getting the best education,” she said.

“As a student-athlete myself a few years back, I took it upon myself to be sensitive to my teammates who had to worry about finances both in school and in training. I know it’s a major cause of mental stress not being able to focus on your studies and training due to financial difficulties. I hope that through my educational foundation, I will be able to help a few student-athletes in a small way.”

Another initiative is working with fellow Olympians Hidilyn Diaz and EJ Obiena to work on a proposed National Athlete Protection Act that will protect athletes through fair treatment, mental health support, injury prevention, and post-career transition.

“In everything I do, I do with respect, courtesy, conscientiousness, and with passion, including giving back to the community,” the fencer said.

Having rested for five months since August, Esteban has her eyes set for Los Angeles 2028, which she hopes will be her second Olympics. “I’m fully recharged to get back into training and competitions again this January,” she said.

Gamer at heart
While Esteban is handy with a foil, she also happens to have an affinity for gaming. She has achieved a mythic glory rank in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and Immortal in DOTA 2, both the highest ranks you can attain in each game.

“Right now, I’m blessed with having the freedom to do all the things that I love doing. Fencing, my business, and my advocacy. For my past time, I still get to do what I love, shopping, games, and watching movies,” she shared.

Esteban said she enjoys gaming very much and that she believes it can “serve as a valuable tool for stress relief and better mental health.”

“Training can lead to physical and mental fatigue so gaming provides a fun way to take a break, allowing athletes like me to relax and recharge their minds. Many games require strategic thinking, quick decision-making, and problem-solving skills, too, which can help athletes sharpen their mental acuity,” she added.

With esports set to have its own Olympic event in the near future, Esteban is positive that it will gain a wider acceptance in the competitive scene.

“Physical sport and gaming are also very much complementary and I believe that it provides a lot of tools that can help not just athletes, but individuals, in many aspects of their life,” she said. “Esports is a very big industry and I believe that it should be included in all sporting events and the Olympics. As for me, I hope that Dota or ML can be included in the Olympics, and I will try to qualify.”

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