Meet Sam Catantan's Mom, The Olympian's First Supporter

No one knew much about fencing in the Catantan household (except that it involved swordplay), until Samantha, the eldest daughter of Jon and Aileen Catantan, decided to give it a try at the age of nine.

To be fair, fencing to Filipinos is not as popular as ball games or boxing. But it was exactly the sport's uniqueness that drew Samantha in. Aileen told Smart Parenting, that Sam liked it "because it was different."

"As she tried it out, her interest and excitement grew with each training session. I could see how much she loved the sport. That's when I began taking her to and from training, especially after the coach mentioned that Sam seemed to have a future in fencing," she said in an online interview. 

The coach’s insight proved to be true. At 22, Samantha Kyle became the first Filipina fencer to qualify for the prestigious Olympics, ending a 32-year Olympic fencing drought for the Philippines.

The road to Olympics

From training at the humble Quezon City Sports Enhancement Program (QCSEP), Samantha's journey soared as she clinched bronze at her first competition, the 1st Lipa Academy Fencing Trophee in Batangas.

Fencing got her a scholarship at the University of the East, where she competed in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) and earned numerous awards, including Most Valuable Player.

More doors opened for Sam when she earned an athletic scholarship to Penn State University, where she graduated with a degree in Accounting this year. The life-changing opportunity came after her impressive performance at the 2019 World Junior Fencing Championship in Poland, where she advanced to the round of 16.

Of course, as they say, it takes a village to raise a child—or a champion, in Sam's case—as her success was not achieved alone.

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"As parents, we supported whatever Sam wanted. We took her to and from every training session when she was younger, and we continue to do so for her sisters," shared Aileen.

She takes pride in her other daughters, Ysah and Sophia, who are champions in their own right as athlete-scholars and members of the national fencing team. The youngest, Shanelle, also aspires to train in the women’s sabre category. 

Despite Aileen's initial reservations about the hefty price tag of fencing equipment and the persisting concerns about funding, she and her husband backed Sam, moved by her undeniable love for the sport. "With the help of the coaches and people around us, we managed to survive," she said.

Sam has a strong support system in her family, who are always by her side, cheering her on. "Every time she competes and wins, we remind her to stay humble and thankful to the Lord, especially to the coaches who help and guide her. When she loses, we encourage her to accept it, learn from the experience, and understand that not every competition will end in victory. We make sure to find time to watch and cheer for their games at every competition," shared Aileen.

Sam Catantan's Olympics journey through her mom's eyes

Aileen traveled to Paris to support her daughter during her biggest moment yet, celebrating Sam’s journey to the Olympics despite significant challenges.

Sam began her quest at the Paris Olympics in the women's individual foil on Sunday, July 28. She got off to a good start by defeating Brazil's Mariana Pistoia in the round of 64, before facing a challenging bout against Italy's Arianna Errigo.

The Filipina fencer put up a strong fight but fell short against Errigo, 15-12, in the women’s foil individual round of 32. Despite being ranked 266th in the world and 33rd in the event, Sam delivered a commendable performance on the global stage. This achievement is impressive on its own, especially considering she was managing a knee injury, due to not being fully recovered from an ACL tear sustained during the 32nd SEA Games.

Still, Aileen remains proud of her Sam, who poured sweat and tears into fencing.

"Even now, I still can’t believe that our child is an Olympian. We are incredibly proud of her; the whole family is truly proud. Sam faced immense challenges to reach this stage. Since she was young, she has dedicated more than half of her life to fencing."

She continued, "She has won and lost many competitions, both local and international. Fencing has changed our lives. We initially thought it was just a sport, but it opened up numerous opportunities for Sam. By the age of 12, she had already competed abroad and earned a high school scholarship at the University of the East. She joined the national team at 15 and has competed in the Southeast Asian Games and many international events."

If Aileen—who has undeniably done things right as evidenced by her four fencing talents—were to advice other parents, it would be to support their children wholeheartedly and find a coach they can trust.

She said, "As a parent, my advice is to support your children in whatever sport they choose and to trust their coach. Let the coach handle the training and discipline, as they know what’s best for your child. Always support and cheer for them at every competition, and never make them feel inadequate or that all their hard work and expenses are in vain if they don’t win."

Click here for more tips on getting your kids involved in sports.