PHNOM PENH — Fencing star Samantha Catantan has been pulled out of the women’s team foil event after suffering a knee injury Friday in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games fencing tournament at Hall D of the OCIC Wedding Center in Chroy Changvar District here.

National coach Ramil Endriano said they won’t risk it and have Catantan’ woes worsen.

“May team event pa. Pero hindi na siya makakalaro. May tatlong lalaro, pero apat sila sa lineup, at reserve na si Sam. Hindi na namin isusugal, baka lumala,” said Endriano of Catantan, the Vietnam SEAG foil gold medalist last year.

The team skipper of the Penn State University Nittany Lions playing in Division 1 of the US NCAA, never got to play a finals rematch with nemesis Maxine Wong of Singapore, who eventually won the gold medal.

The country’s top Filipina fencer conceded on the advice of her coach and medical personnel to not continue with her duel with Wong, after getting hurt during her clash with Kemei Chung of Singapore in the semifinals. She settled for the silver.

With Catantan sidelined, she will continue resting and prepare for her next challenges, one of which is to join the qualifiers for the 2024 Paris Olympics next year.

To prepare, she is slated to compete in the Asian Fencing Championship in Wuxi, China this June, and the World Championships in Milan, Italy this July.

By not competing in the finals, her coaches believe that Catantan will have time to rest, recover, train, and fight again.

“Sana hindi serious para makalaro ulit ako. Kasi importante po iyun. Point po iyun for Paris Olympics,” said Catantan as she fought back tears.

Catantan said she was in good condition on Friday, feeling that she had enough strength and stamina to fight and win a gold medal.

“The whole day po, ang ganda ng feeling ko. Ang ganda ng result ng first round ko. Tingin ko, kaya kong makuha iyung gold medal,” added Catantan, an accounting student at Penn State.