MANILA — Eight Filipino junior fencers have strengthened their bids for berths in next year’s World and Asian Junior and Cadet Championships after collecting medals — and crucial ranking points — at the 2026 Southeast Asian Fencing Federation (SEAFF) Championship in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
With qualification hinging on accumulated ranking points, the Philippine bets turned their podium finishes in Malaysia into a major boost ahead of the decisive stretch of domestic and international tournaments that will determine the country’s representatives to the continental and world championships.
Leading the charge was 16-year-old Oscar Del Castillo, who captured the men’s under-17 cadet epee gold medal before adding a silver in the under-21 junior division.
Fifteen-year-old Willa Galvez also made the podium with a bronze medal in the women’s under-21 individual foil event.
Hagia del Castillo secured silver in the women’s cadet foil, while Yuna Canlas and Victoria Ebdane bagged bronze medals in women’s foil. Papina Torre added a bronze in women’s epee, Jethro Chan took bronze in men’s foil, and Don Reyzel Geronimo claimed bronze in men’s epee.
Beyond the medal haul, the SEAFF results provided the Filipino fencers with valuable points toward their qualification rankings for next year’s major championships.
“It’s not just the medals, but equally important is the points we’ll get from the SEAFF because points we earned will be added to our overall ranking points,” Del Castillo said during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday at the Philippine Sports Commission media room.
Points earned in Kuala Lumpur will be combined with those from other international competitions, including the Asian Cadet Cup, and the Philippine Fencing Association’s Junior and Cadet Ranking Series.
The qualification race will intensify this weekend when the third and final leg of the domestic ranking tournament is held on Aug. 29 and 30 at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
Galvez said every point could prove decisive as the country’s young fencers battle for coveted national team slots.
“It’s going to be an exciting third leg because it’s the final leg, and the points every fencer will get is very crucial,” said Galvez, a Grade 10 student at the University of the East.
Traditionally, the top four fencers in the cadet and junior rankings earn the opportunity to represent the Philippines at the Asian and World Championships.
The Asian Cadet and Junior Championships are scheduled for March next year in Wuxi, China, while the World Championships will be staged from April 9 to 17 in Tallinn, Estonia.
For Ebdane, a Grade 11 student at Home School Global, international tournaments such as the SEAFF are also critical in developing Filipino fencers by exposing them to different styles and higher levels of competition.
“It’s important as an athlete to compete in as many international competitions as we can, especially in a competition that allows me to have the exposure,” Ebdane said. “Playing against players from other countries are things that will push me to be better as a fencer both locally and internationally.”
The Kuala Lumpur tournament also strengthened the camaraderie among members of the Philippine squad despite the athletes competing across fencing’s three weapons — foil, epee and saber.
“Bringing the team together to bond, every time we get together, we cheer for each other which is good,” said Torre, a Grade 10 student at Waldorf School./PN
