Belarmino stuns Matienzo in fencing at Women’s Indoor and Para Games Festival

Hannah Belarmino delivered a solid performance to surprise national team member Maricar Matienzo, 15-10, in the finals of the seniors foil in day two of the Women’s Indoor and Para Games Festival on Sunday, July 16, at the Fencing Hall of the PhilSports Complex in Pasig City.

Belarmino, of Calle de Armas fencing club, emerged as the top seed going into the direct elimination with +25 index which is better that Matienzo’s +23 and another national team member Ysah Catantan’s +21 as the three fencers topped their respective poules with similar 6-0 cards.

Hannah Belarmino emerges as the top performer as she bags the gold medal in seniors individual foil of the Women’s Indoor and Para Games Festival Sunday, July 16, at the Fencing Hall of the PhilSports Complex in Pasig City. Also in photo are, silver medalist Maricar Matienzo of the national team, Mariel Flores of the University of the Philippine Fencing Club, Ysah Catantan also of the national team, and track and field legend Elma Muros-Posadas. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO 

The 15-year-old Belarmino, who started her fencing career with the QCSEP Fencing Club of Quezon City councilor Joseph Juico, earned a bye in the Table 32 then easily won against Marian Castro of Canlas Fencing, 15-1, in Table 16 and then downed Miyake Capina of De La Salle Zobel, 15-6, in Table 8.

In the semifinals, Belarmino scored a 15-6 victory over Mariel Flores of the University of the Philippine Fencing Club. Matienzo, who made his national team debut in the last Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia, defeated Catantan in the other semifinal pairing, 15-10.

The event, back after four years, is organized by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) as part of the Philippine Women’s in Sports program under PSC commissioner and bowling icon Bong Coo.

Aside from fencing, the event, which will have its formal opening ceremony this Sunday, July 16, also held competition in bowling on Friday, and started action in athletics, netball, chess, para-chess and para-athletics at the PhilSports.

In juniors foil, Catantan edged Eytria Olarte of University of the East, 15-13, to capture the gold medal.

Catantan initially downed Aubrey Fernandez of UE, 15-6, while Olarte won against cadet gold medalist Sophia Catantan of UE, 15-11, in the semifinal round.

UE’s Nina Canlas and Andrea Marias also won the gold in epee as they ruled the junior and senior divisions.

Adrianne Lising of the Red Warriors, meanwhile, rebounded from a silver medal finish in the cadet by ruling the juniors saber.

National team member and UAAP champion Queen Dalmacio took the gold in seniors sabre.