The Philippine fencing team won seven gold medals for a record three consecutive Southeast Asia Fencing Federation Championship that entitled the Filipinos to keep the prestigious Widarsa Cup given to the most dominant country in the region.
The event, held in Surabaya, Indonesia last Jan. 29-Feb. 2, also saw the Filipinos scoop four more silver and four bronze medals. The Philippines' victory was also highlighted by sweeps in the men and women's individual foil events.
The Philippines first won the SEAFF crown in 1992, scoring a near sweep with nine of 10 gold medals in Manila before the event was postponed in 1994 and 1995. The Filipino fencers reasserted their supremacy in 1997 (Bangkok) on their way to bagging the Widarsa Cup.
Roberta Gonzales, bronze medalist last year in the Asian Championships in China, led the women's team in sweeping the women's individual foil. Gonzalez took the gold while Leny Reyes and Veena Nuestro won the silver and bronze, respectively.
The trio then returned with Ma. Cristina Gonzalez to cop the women's team foil gold medal. Roberta Gonzalez also led the RP women's epee team that won another gold medal along with Ma. Lorella Bauzon.
Bauzon, meanwhile, won the women's individual epee title while Roberta Gonzalez settle for the individual bronze.
Michael Cena and brothers Ramil and Rufel Endriano were 1-2-3 in the men's individual foil. They teamed up with Emerson Segui later to claim the team crown.
Southeast Asian Games veteran Wally Mendoza also won a gold medal in the men's individual sabre.
Avelino Victorino and Wilfredo Viscayno also brought home a silver and bronze medal, respectively, in the men's individual epee. The duo duplicated their feat in the men's team epee with another silver medal finish.