Injury foils Catantan’s bid

PHNOM PENH – Fencing star Samantha Catantan has pulled out of the women’s team foil event after suffering a knee injury Friday in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games at the OCIC Wedding Center in Chroy Changvar District here.

National coach Ramil Endriano said they won’t risk it and have Catantan’s woes worsen.

“May team event pa. Pero hindi na siya makakalaro. May tatlong lalaro, pero apat sila sa lineup, at reserve na si Sam. Hindi na namin isusugal, baka lumala,” said Endriano of Catantan, the Vietnam SEAG foil gold medalist last year.

The skipper of the Penn State University Nittany Lions playing in Division 1 of the US NCAA never got to play her finals’ rematch with nemesis Maxine Wong of Singapore, who eventually won the gold medal.

The country’s top Filipina fencer conceded on the advice of her coach and medical personnel to skip her duel with Wong after getting hurt during her clash with Kemei Chung of Singapore in the semifinals. She settled for the silver.