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By Ruben D. Manahan IV, Reporter
SIX fencers, led by 2007 SEAG gold medalists
Emerson Segui and Michelle Bruzola, will see action in the Asian
Olympic qualifier slated April 24 and 25 in Bang-kok, Thailand.
Philippine Amateur Fencers Association President
Celso Dayrit said after the qualifier, the national athletes will
compete in the Asian Fencing Championship from April 26 to 29.
Besides Segui and Bruzola, also in the Bangkok
delegation are SEAG silver medalist Walbert Mendoza and bronze medal
winner Joanna Franquelli, and two more athletes from the national
training pool.
“I’m still looking for two athletes—one in
women’s foil and one in men’s epee—who can join the trip,”
Dayrit said.
The Filipinos are hoping for a better finish in
the coming Asian Championships. Last year in Nantong, China, the
Philippines placed eighth (women’s foil), ninth (women’s epee,
men’s foil, men’s saber), 11th (women’s saber) and 17th
(men’s epee) in the team category.
In the individual categories, Bruzola was ranked
No. 13 in women’s epee, Segui was No. 18 in men’s foil, Mendoza
was No. 21 in men’s saber, Veena Tessa Nuestro was No. 24 in
women’s foil, Franquelli finished 26th in women’s saber and
Armando Bernal was 50th in men’s epee.
Dayrit also bared plans to send Mendoza and
Franquelli to the United States as preparation for the Beijing
Olympics.
“Mendoza will train in China for one month and
will join Franquelli in the US as part of our Olympic preparatory
program,” Dayrit said.
Franquelli may leave for the US in the middle of
this month and will stay there until April while Mendoza will go to
China at the end of the month.
Dayrit is also eyeing three world-ranking
tournaments in Europe to better prepare athletes who will join the
tough Asian Olympic qualifier.
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