Olympian fencer Esteban to take time off due to knee injury

MANILA, Philippines -- Filipino-Ivorian fencer Maxine Esteban is planning to take a few months off to nurse a knee injury that hampered her preparations for the Paris Olympics.

Esteban, who represented Cote d’Ivoire in Paris, bowed out of the women’s foil table of 32 after absorbing a 15-7 defeat against France’s Pauline Ranvier.

In an interview with Philstar.com on Friday, the 23-year-old fencer said that her preparation was affected by knee pains in the lead-up to the Games.

“I want to rest for a few months and maybe get some therapy for my knee because I’ve been feeling some pains in the few months before the Olympics,” she said during a G-Shock event at SM Megamall.

“A few months before kasi I was feeling a lot of pain so I lessened my strength and conditioning din so I think my legs weren’t that strong din during the Olympic Games,” she added.

Despite this injury, Esteban said she powered through and competed.

“Yeah, I didn’t really want it to bother me during the Olympic Games and I didn’t want to think about it kasi siyempre I owe it to the people who believe in me to still compete and work hard,” she stressed.

It was Esteban’s first Olympic stint. She finished at No. 23.

She also voiced joy in competing in the Games.

“It was really overwhelming and super happy kasi after all the hard work, and I finally got to the Olympics and I saw all my hard work and my team’s hard work in fruition so I was really happy to be there,” she said.

“For me, like I could have done better,but being there as already a huge achievement for me. I was happy that I finished 23rd in the Olympic Games. I feel like I could have done better but I’m really grateful to be there.”

And with the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics on the horizon, Esteban is hopeful for a return to the big stage.

“I think, that’s one of my goals, but of course we don’t know what’s going to happen… And, I want to rest for a while but eventually I want to get back on track and hopefully if it’s God willing, then I want to make it to the 2028 Olympics.”