Ateneo, UST fencers claim gold in Brunei

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines bested its rivals from Thailand and the host country to capture the gold medal in team play in the Brunei Open Fencing Championship recently.

Jian Miguel Bautista, a 15-year-old Grade 10 student of Ateneo, helped anchor Team Phl’s title romp in the weeklong event at the Indoor Stadium Hassanal Bolkiah in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei. The other members of the squad were Dennis Gascon, Zedric Estavillo and Ralph Mendones, all from University of Santo Tomas.

“I felt good and it motivated me to strive harder to win in other different fencing competitions,” said Bautista, the youngest in the group.

He added that his family  took care of his  expenses so he could join the competition which also served as part of his buildup for the UAAP Season 79 fencing competitions. 

Only in his fourth year in the sport, Bautista is already setting his sights on the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 where he dreams of winning the gold for the country.

“After I won in Brunei, I felt proud and I want to leave a mark,” added Bautista.

He believes that Filipinos have a chance of excelling in fencing because unlike other sports that place a high premium on an athlete’s built and height, fencing is more of a mind game.