The UP College of Human Kinetics (UP CHK) had its Foil Fencing Tournament on March 14, 2007 at 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. It was organized by the UP Fencing Club for the 50 foil fencers coming from 2 different classes. It was my first time to join this kind of tournament.
The tournament was divided into men’s and women’s divisions. Ate Roma (second year) was included in the men’s because of the coach’s prerogative. Each division was comprised of four to five Pools of Elimination. Each pool had five to six fencers who would fight to each other in a round robin basis. I was really terrified with the pool I was in because the five fencers in the same pool of mine were really really really great. Four of them are actually upper classmen. I didn’t expect that I defeated the ones I didn’t defeat during class hours. I won 3 out of five games with index points: 3, 5, 5, 5, and 4. I was the second placer in our pool. When the pools were tallied, I turned out to be the in the sixth place. The top four had a “bye” standing, and the lower half were eliminated from the tournament. Actually, all I really wanted was to be included in the upper half, so that I wouldn’t take the final exam (the bout between me and the professor).
The next level was the Piste Round where there was a direct elimination – kapag natalo ka, tanggal ka na. Before it started, Kuya Albert had said to me, “Promising ang mga moves mo dude. Keep it up. May future ka sa fencing.” I had the opportunity to fight against the big guy I had fought against before. I focused on his weak points and confidently hit him as fierce as I could. I won by a score of 8-4. I was so happy because I was just one match away from the semifinal round!
When the referee called my name to fight against a fencer who had a “bye” standing, I began feeling the fear of losing the match. He was of the same height as mine. When the referee said pre alle, I started attacking him, but he started to make a big circular pari (defense) to block my foil to make a tushe. My lungs started to resist contracting. My arms were already aching. My palm, which I used to hold the handle of the foil, didn’t have a tight hold. I lost my focus. All I did was to attack and attack until I got the chance to hit his torso. After five minutes of pari, tushe, palpara, and face, I amazingly won by 8-5! My whole body was aching after the fight. Nonetheless, I then rose as one of the TOP FOUR! I got into the SEMIFINAL ROUND!
The only thing that I didn’t like was that I had to fight immediately against Kuya Gary who was so tall. I asked the organizers if we could rest for a while. They agreed, but they only gave us three minutes. My blood was rushing so fast. I was continuously sweating. I was having a hard time to breathe. I drank water to refresh myself. I even washed my face in the rest room.
I changed my gloves with one that has more friction. I changed my mask with a more comfortable one to wear. I made myself ready for a fight that would decide if I would fight in the final round. The referee called my name. The bout began.
I was the one who first attacked, and I got the first hit. I was actually losing my control. I knew that I could beat him because I had beaten him before. My lungs started to resist contracting again. Kuya Gary hit me, and he hit me again. He beat my foil, and it was thrown away. The referee said to me, “Ano’ng nangyari sa’yo? Ok ka pa ba? Kaya mo pa?” I replied, “Ayokong sumuko kahit alam kong matatalo ako.”
The bout continued, and I had the chance to hit him again. After that, he hit me. When the score was 7-4 for Kuya Gary, I shouted, “Masakit na!” I took off my glove and saw my index finger having a wide peel. There was blood. I saw the muscles. The organizers immediately gave me a first aid. They asked me again, “Sabihin mo lang ‘pag ‘di mo na kaya ha?” I nodded.
None of the two of us hit each other for our defenses were good. I was moving backwards so that his hits wouldn’t hit me, but I fell on my back because of my aching right leg, which I used to make a lunge attack. I stood and took off my mask. Everybody shrieked!
My whole face was of color dark red. My eyes were bulging. They saw my shoulders moving up and down – a sign of asthma attack. I wore the mask again. I thought to myself, “Why now? Don’t make me lose this battle! I know I can beat him, but why do you attack me now?” My adversary wasn’t Kuya Gary anymore. Instead, it was my asthma. The referee asked me for the last time, “Kapag hindi mo na kaya, ‘wag mo nang pilitin pa. Ikaw rin ang mapapahamak.” I shouted, “Kaya ko pa! Ayokong sumuko kahit alam ko na matatalo na’ko!”
He hit me. He won.
I took off my mask, and Ate Roma hugged me. She said that it was a great fight. Kuya Jomar said that I had a brave heart because I didn’t surrender. For that, I felt so happy. It was just like I won the fight. I said to myself, “I am so lucky because I had the chance to be one of the top four. I am just a beginner. I am just a freshman, but I made it to this point. What more could I ask for?”
The final round was between Ate Roma and Kuya Gary. I already expected who would win. I was right. SHE did win. The champion for the men’s division was a girl, Ate Roma. I congratulated her.
Kuya IE came to me and said, “May laban pa tayo…for the third place.” I was surprised. Nonetheless, I knew I would be defeated. He is a fifth year student, and he has loved fencing since. I didn’t exert much effort, for my whole body was somewhat numb – could I say paralyzed? He won, as expected. He said to me, “Marami ka pang pagdadaanan. You’re a great fencer.”
I didn’t even felt jealousy, for the top three received medals. I went home with a smile. 
