Once they return from the Uzbekistan, the national men’s and women’s fencing teams may spend more time to train in Ormoc City for the Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam.
Philippine Fencing Association president Richard Gomez said this as a five-member national team, led by SEA Games women’s sabre gold medallist Jylyn Nicanor, leaves this week for Tashkent to seek berths to the Tokyo Olympics in the Asian Olympic Qualifying Tournament from April 25 to 26.
Gomez, who is also the second vice president of the Philippine Olympic Committee and the mayor of Ormoc City, said that it’s best to have more fencers coming over, so they can maximize their preparations for the 31st Southeast Games in Vietnam.
The PFA chief said with cases of COVID-19 on the rise in the National Capital Region, it is better for the national team to just keep doing their preparations in Ormoc City.
“I want them to return to Ormoc City for the SEA Games. They have been here for more than two months of training. And I’m happy to learn that none of them got infected (by COVID-19),” said Gomez.
“I’m really hoping that we can surpass our achievements in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games. And I hope that the Philippine Sports Commission can help us again here,” said Gomez.
The national squad and members of the national pool, which is coached by Amatov Canlas, spent more than two months preparing for the Tashkent meet and the SEAG.
They were given an additional 10 days to remain in the city to train after Metro Manila was placed under Enhanced Community Quarantine status early this month.
The 28-year-old Nicanor will be among SEA Games medallists going to Uzbekistan.
Nicanor, a University of the East student, has been working out with her teammates at the facilities of the Ormoc City Central School.
Also with the team are CJ Concepcion, an individual men’s saber silver medal winner and Hanna Abella, who won a gold in the women’s epee.
US NCAA standout Samantha Catantan will join the team in Uzbekistan following her memorable stint with Penn State University, which took runner-up honors in Division 1 of the US NCAA competitions.
Catantan, who also joined the world junior and cadet championships and placed 20th in Egypt last week, will meet up with the Philippine contingent during their stopover in Turkey.