Fencers from three Philippine clubs accounted for 17 of the record 19 gold medals, to go with six silvers and 25 bronzes in the recent 3rd Malaysia Fencing Federation (MFF) Minime International.
The duellers from the QC-SEP Fencing, Alabang Fencing, University of the East Fencing and Canlas Fencing made their presence felt during the meet that was held from Nov. 30 to Dec. 5 at the Tan Sri Hamzah Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Varsity prospects Christine Morales and Yuri Canlas emerged as the winningest Filipino fencers, by claiming four each for CF, which took in 15 gold medals.
Morales, who is set to compete for University of the East next year, snared the Under-12 women’s foil and epee individual mints.
Not done yet, Morales also won golds in U12 foil and epee teams, silver in the U17 foil team, and two bronze medals in the U14 foil individual and in the U14 sabre team.
More medals made it to Canlas’ hands, after she took home golds in the U10 foil and epee teams, and two bronze medals in U12 foil individual and U12 foil team.
UE sophomore Willa Galvez had two golds, first after she retained her U14 women’s foil title by stopping UE teammate Yuna Canlas in the all-Filipino finals, 14-13.
Galvez’s second gold came in the U14 women’s foil team with Hannah Belarmino of Ateneo/Calle de Armas, and CF’s Lily Juico and Bea Ong, along with a bronze medal in the U14 women’s epee with Juico, Sarina del Rosario of Republic Fencing and UE teammate Mika Ragot.
QC-SEP’s Rainer Cadiente came up with a great international debut, outplaying Gabriel Chua of Xavier, 9-5, to win for the gold medal in the U12 men’s foil.
Other gold-medal winners in individual category were CF’s Grey Ang in U8 men’s foil, Linus Sytengco in U8 men’s saber and Sidney Peralta in U14 men’s epee, Papina Torre of AF in U17 women’s epee, Hannah Belarmino of Ateneo/CDA in U17 women’s foil, and Jude Canaveral of Pasig Fencing in U12 men’s epee.
