Eight student athletes of the University of the East will form the nucleus of Team Philippines that will compete in the Asian Junior and Cadet Fencing Championship slated at Yanggo City, South Korea Oct. 24 -30.
The UE Red Warrior-Fencers are Michelle Bruzola (epee), Cristine Almas (epee), Patricia Melendres (foil), Jamie Nicanor (foil), Maximus Baluyot (foil), Nathaniel Fritz Gutierrez (foil), Eric Brando (saber), and James Sarita (epee).
Beefing up the UE Red Warrior-Fencers-led Team Philippines are FEU’s Luis Teves (saber), Gio Teves (saber) and Frederick Metcha (epee), UST’s Harris Orendain (epee) and Donnie Arth Navarro (saber), Ateneo’s Faye Garcia (foil), Step Payoyo (epee) and Jaime Ignacio (foil), DLSU’s Gabby Estimada (epee) and UP’s Jayjay Paunil (foil).
UE’s bemedalled coach Rolando Canlas will team up with Walbert Mendoza, Tong Wei and Benny Garcia to constitute the Team Philippines’ four-man coaching staff.
The members of the UE Red Warrior-Fencers-led Team Philippines will be up against powerhouse squads from China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, India, Iran, Kuwait, Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan and Qatar.
“We are ready for this competition to give our best fight,” said Canlas.