Canlas Fencing pockets 2 golds in Singapore

MANILA, Philippines — Jodie Tan and Yuna Canlas dominated their respective divisions in women’s foil to highlight the campaign of Canlas Fencing team in the recent 2022 Minime Singapore Fencing Festival at the OCBC Arena in Kallang District, Singapore.

Tan, of St. Jude Catholic School, bagged her first gold medal in an international tournament as she ruled the 12-under category with a dominant 10-4 win over Chinese-Australian Zhang June Irina.

For her part, Canlas, of Holy Family Parochial School in Pasig City, also pocketed her first gold medal abroad following her impressive 8-2 victory over Zhang Linao of host Singapore in the U10 division.

CF, the top fencing club in the country, also earned five bronze medals courtesy of Amber Diaz in U10 women’s foil, Victoria Ebdane in U12 women’s foil, Sophia Catantan in the U14 women’s foil, the women’s foil team composed of Catantan, Tan, Ebdane and Jada Divinagracia, and the men’s foil team of Antonio Manuel, Yllac and Clyde Guinto, and Inigo Divinagracia.

Overall, it was an impressive campaign for CF particularly to those who made their international debut, including Willa Liana Galvez, the 11-year-old Grade 6 student of University of the East who placed 11th in the U12 women’s foil out of 29 participants.

Backed by NLEX, San Miguel Corp., Rain or Shine, Converge, NorthPort, and Smart Sports, Galvez nearly barged to the top 8 –  assured of a bronze medal. She went 3-2 in her pooling, defeated CF teammate Aliyah Diaz 10-7 in the direct elimination Round of 32, but lost 10-4 to a taller and more experienced opponent in sixth-ranked Radzuan Nur Mohd of Malaysia in the Final 16.