Fencer Juliana Gomez rules Malaysia tournament

MANILA, Philippines – Filipina fencer Juliana Gomez continued her stellar play in international competition as she ruled the 1st FT Open Championship in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, last Sunday, May 28.

The 22-year-old standout downed Sara Sofea Idongesit of Five Star Fencing Club KEDAH, 15-12, in the finals, following up on a championship in Thailand late last year.

Idongesit settled with the silver medal while Electra Goh of Selangor and Xin Mynn Ho, whom Gomez trounced, 15-11, in the semifinal, got the bronze medals.

“It was a great experience for me, and I’m happy to be able to win the gold and bring honor to the country,” said Gomez, a graduating UP Public Administration student.

Gomez, who represented the Diliman Fencing Club in the tournament, went undefeated in her first round pool, winning all five bouts to get the top seed going to the direct elimination of the event organized by the Kuala Lumpur Fencing Association and Putrajaya Fencing Association.

She is now targeting a run for the national team once she finishes her studies at UP, which she recently represented in a gold medal run at the UAAP Season 85 women’s fencing tournament.

“That’s my target now. Once I’m finished with my studies, I’ll have more time for training and competitions,” Gomez said.

“I hope that I can join more tournaments as I prepare for qualifiers for the national team in the next Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.” – Rappler.com