Esteban stressed that being on top is not always the goal — it’s the journey to getting better that will matter in the end.
(CNN Philippines, April 19) — There’s no stopping Philippine fencing team member Maxine Esteban from going out strong in the 31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Hanoi, Vietnam next month.
The Ateneo de Manila University standout is preparing for the biennial sports meet by competing in a number of tournaments in Europe.
Esteban, the highest-ranked Filipino foil fencer, recently finished 37th out of the 170 participants in the FIE World Cup in Belgrade, Serbia held April 15-17.
“I want to address the mental struggles that goes along with the physical struggles of all athletes especially in times of the pandemic, always reach for your best,” she said.
In the pool play, Esteban dominated and won all her bouts. She lost to quarterfinalist and World No. 56 Julia Walczyk of Poland.
“Winning is not being No. 1, it is reaching for your best” she also said. “As we strive to better our craft each day, remember the medals don’t define us. What defines us is how our character is formed along the way. So, let us enjoy the journey and keep doing our best.”
In the Chateau de Couches French Circuit Elite which ran April 9-10, Esteban finished 27th out of 170 fencers in the talent-laden tilt.
Esteban nabbed bronze at the Italian Regional Championships earlier this month.
“I am pleased with the recent turnout of my competition results,” she told CNN Philippines. “I have fenced many higher ranked fencers and defeated them. It has definitely boosted my confidence. I feel like the last three months of continuous training here in Italy is beginning to show some results.”
Looking to boost her world ranking, Esteban said her goal is to improve her overall game by participating in as many competitions as she could.
“I need to mature a lot more in this sport,” she confided. “This is actually my first formal year to fence in the seniors event. I noticed the very big gap or jump in the skills of senior fencers.”
“My mindset is not focused primarily, solely on the SEA Games,” she continued. “We are focused on all competitions such as the World Cups, Grand Prix, World Championships, and other zonal circuits not just to improve my maturity in the sport but also to gain the needed points for world ranking.”
The UAAP Season 81 Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player will see action in the World Cup in Germany slated for April 29 and 30 before shifting her focus on the Vietnam SEA Games.
In the 2019 SEA Games, Esteban clinched a bronze medal in the women’s team foil event. She vowed to do her best once again.
“Just as I have always done, I will do my best to do my country proud in the SEA Games,” she said.
