The Philippine Junior Men’s Saber Team stunned regional powerhouse Thailand, 45-40, to cop the gold medal in the Under-20 division of the Southeast Asian Fencing Federation (SEAFF) Juniors Fencing Championship 2026 on Tuesday, August 11.
The four-man squad – composed of Khiane Nash Felipe (University of the East), Drake Anthony Chung (Domuschola International School/Estudio de Espada), Vito Misael Coching (De La Salle Zobel), and Matthew General (Ateneo) – earlier overpowered Indonesia, 45-23, to set up the finals clash with Thailand.
In a battle of tactics, speed and composure, it the was Philippines that emerged victorious over the Thais, who previously dominated Vietnam 45-24, to book their finals ticket in the four-nation tournament that showcased young saber talents.
“Winning gold is a testament to the hard work of these young athletes and their coaches, but seeing the high level of respect and friendship shared among all four nations on and off the strip is the true victory for Southeast Asian fencing,” tournament organizers said.
Against Thailand in the finals, Felipe set the tone for Team Philippines with a 5-2 win in the opening bout. Chung, the youngest in the squad at 14 years old, followed suit with a display of tactical prowess to hike the lead to 10-4; Coching extended it to 15-8; and Felipe put in the final touches to keep Thailand at bay despite its fierce rallies.
The Philippine squad marched atop the podium under the guidance of a veteran coaching staff featuring Philippine national team coach Gian Carlo Nocom, Edward Dalivas (Ateneo head coach), and Donnie Navarro (UST head coach).