THE national fencing team is looking at a possible South Korean training camp as part of its preparations for the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam.
Coach Rolando “Amat” Canlas said South Korea, a fencing power, is on the radar of the Philippine Fencing Association (PFA) but considering the current travel restrictions, Canlas told Tuesday’s online Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum that they have a backup plan but still with a Korean flare.
Canlas said the other option is to invite at least 12 Korean fencers to train with Filipino athletes.
“It’s cheaper if we bring the Koreans here,” Canlas told the program presented by San Miguel Corp., Milo, Amelie Hotel Manila, Braska Restaurant and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.
Rising star Sam Catantan joined the forum from Pennsylvania where she is part of the Penn State University fencing team.
If not for the pandemic, Amat said apart from Korea, the fencers are also supposed to go to Hong Kong for another two-week training camp before the November 21 to December 2 SEA Games.
“We’ll have to quarantine for 21 days if we go to Hong Kong, it’s just not practical,” Amat said.
Similar to the team’s preparation for the recent Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Tashkent, the fencers, including Catantan, will again undergo a bubble training in Ormoc City, where PFA President Richard Gomez is the mayor.
The federation will be holding the National Fencing Championships at the Superdome from July 3 to 11 to determine the composition of the team to the SEA Games.
All eyes are on Catantan, the former University of the East standout who was named Penn State’s women’s MVP right on her rookie season. She almost made it to the Tokyo Olympics but settled for a bronze medal in the Tashkent tournament.