TWO FORMER team captains of the UST fencing team have joined the Philippine training “bubble” in Ormoc, Leyte, hoping to qualify in this year’s Tokyo Olympics.
Noelito Jose Jr. and Hanniel Abella both acknowledged that the truncated training schedule because of the COVID-19 pandemic would be a challenge as the national team prepares for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Seoul, South Korea set for April 15 to 22.
“Sobrang laking kabawasan… kasi nung nag-lockdown naiba setup ng training ko. Pero at least naman hindi talaga ako nag-stop sa training kahit lockdown,” Jose told the Varsitarian.
Said Abella: “I personally have to improve everything again kasi kung baga back to zero po kami.”
When the country was placed under enhanced community quarantine in March 2020, Jose and Abella stayed at the Ultra Fencing Hall in Pasig to train until July.
By August, they were sent home to undergo home training. From November to December, they trained in Ormoc, Leyte together with the Philippine Modern Pentathlon Association.
However, Abella said the training sessions only consisted of body conditioning and lacked combat drills.
National team head coach Amat Canlas is confident of Jose’s and Abella’s to qualify in the Olympics set on July 23 to Aug. 8
“Malaki [ang] chance ni Noel. Tsaka madisiplina kasi talaga siya. ‘Yung una ko pa lang siya nakita maglaro sa UAAP, nakitaan ko na ng potential si Noel. In two years niya pa lang nag-fencing, nakapasok na agad siya sa Sea (Southeast Asian) Games noong 2015. Bata pa siya noon pero makikita mo may future talaga,” he told the Varsitarian.
“Same with Noel, focused din mag-training (si Abella). Gusto talaga niya makapasok sa Olympics.”
Jose snagged silver in the men’s epee individual event in the Southeast Asian Federation Fencing Championships in 2018, and a bronze medal in the 30th Sea Games in 2019. Abella won silver and gold medals in the individual and team epee events, respectively.
Both of them are trained by national team coaches Almario Viscayno and Armando Bernal, who also mentors UST’s fencing teams.
