Maxine Esteban
Maxine Isabel Esteban (born November 26, 2000[1][2]) is a Filipino–Ivorian fencer. She is a 2023 African bronze medalist in women's foil.[3]
| Maxine Esteban | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Maxine Isabel Esteban | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | November 26, 2000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country | Ivory Coast (since 2023) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Former country | Philippines (until 2023) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Training location | Italy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Fencing | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weapon | Foil | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hand | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal coach | Andrea Magro | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Highest ranking | 39 (2022/23) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current ranking | 39 (2022/23) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Esteban represented the Philippines before transferring to the Ivory Coast as a naturalized citizen in 2022.[4] During her tenure under the Philippine flag, she became a 2017 Southeast Asian foil bronze medalist, as well as a 2019 and 2021 team foil silver medalist. She was also the country's highest-ranked fencer at 62nd in the world.[4]
At present, Esteban is globally ranked 39th, per the Fédération Internationale d'Escrime.[5]
Education edit
Esteban studied at the Immaculate Conception Academy in Greenhills for high school, graduating in 2018.[6] She pursued a course in management engineering at the Ateneo de Manila University.[7] She later attended the University of Pennsylvania, where she graduated with an undergraduate degree in applied arts and science, achieving summa cum laude honors in 2023.[8]
Career edit
Early years edit
As a child, Esteban initially pursued an interest in figure skating at the ice skating rink in SM Megamall. However, due to the rink's closure and a lack of nearby alternatives, she dropped the sport and instead convinced her parents to allow her to enter a fencing club at Xavier School.[9]
Esteban then began her fencing career at age 12 by competing in local competitions.[10]
Collegiate edit
Esteban competed for the Ateneo Blue Eagles fencing team at the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). She was named Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player for Season 81 in 2018.[11] After dominating her matches with two gold medals, Esteban led the Ateneo Women's Fencing team to win the UAAP Season 81 overall championships breaking the 11-year reign of the University of the East.[12] In the following year, she was conferred the Moro Lorenzo Award for Excellence in Sports, as well as the Lady Eagle of the Year Awardee by her own university.[10]
Esteban last competed for the Ateneo in February 2020, where she defended her title in the women's foil individual event. The university ultimately placed third in the UAAP Season 82 fencing tournament.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all sporting events for Season 83 were cancelled.[11]
National team edit
Philippines edit
Esteban competed in women's foil and represented the Philippines until 2022. She was ranked 16th at the peak of her junior career and 62nd in the senior category, the highest ever for a Filipino fencer.[4]
At the 2018 FIE Junior World Cup in Guatemala City, she won a bronze medal.[13]
Esteban also competed at the Southeast Asian Games, having won a bronze medal in the 2017 edition for the Philippines in foil.[14] She also clinched a bronze and silver in the team foil event with teammates in the 2019 and 2021 editions respectively.[15]
She aspires to qualify for the Olympics. Her family tapped the service of Italian coach Andrea Magro in 2020 to aid her training.[16]
Esteban became the first Filipino to win a medal in a FIE satellite event when she finished as a bronze medalist at the 2021 FIE Tournoi Satellite in Copenhagen, Denmark.[citation needed] She also won the silver medal in the FIE satellite event in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.[17] She took part in the 2022 World Seniors Cup in Serbia where she finished 38th in foil.[citation needed] She also took part in the World Seniors Cup in Tauberbiscofsheim Germany where she finished 44th in foil.[citation needed] At the Asian Fencing Championship, she finished 11th in foil, the highest among the all Philippine delegation competitors.[citation needed]
Injury and federation issues edit
She competed at the 2022 World Fencing Championships in July but suffered a ACL and PCL injury.[10] She would be fit again by the start of 2023.[18] The injury would render her unable to participate in qualifiers for both international and national events costing her a place in the Philippine national team.[19]
This led to her switching sporting nationality for reasons that would be publicly disclosed after the move was complete. She felt disrespected by the Philippine federation she has tried to kept competing for the Philippines for as long as "humanly possible".[19][20][21]
She has requested the federation to allow her to skip qualifiers due to her injury but was removed from the national team. Esteban alleged there has been double standards, with other Filipino fencers who skipped the qualifiers still retaining their respective spots.[22]
Ivory Coast edit
Esteban would be given Ivorian citizenship through naturalization. In May 2023, she switched her sporting nationality to be able to represent Ivory Coast internationally. The move was approved by the Philippine Fencing Association which waived the 3-year waiting period requirement allowing her to compete for the African nation immediately.[4] Her move was supported by the Philippine Olympic Committee.[23]
Her first podium finish for the West African country was at the 2023 African Fencing Championships in Cairo, Egypt where she clinched a bronze medal in foil.[3]
Personal life edit
Esteban is a Filipino of Chinese descent. She also plays the violin and paints as hobbies outside of fencing.[9]
Prior to her sporting nationality change, she had already been holding clinics for fencers in Cote d’Ivoire.[4] She says the Estebans have long-standing ties with the country.[24]
She aspires to be a doctor one day.[citation needed]
Medal record edit
National team edit
For the Philippines edit
FIE Tournoi Satellite edit
| Year | Location | Event | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-9-26 | Tashkent, Uzbekistan | Individual Women's Foil | 2nd[17] |
FIE Junior World Cup edit
| Year | Location | Event | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Guatemala City, Guatemala | Individual Women's Foil | 3rd[13] |
Southeast Asian Games edit
| Year | Location | Event | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Individual Women's Foil | 3rd[14] |
| 2019 | Pasay, Philippines | Team Women's Foil | 2nd |
| 2021 | Hanoi, Vietnam | Team Women's Foil | 2nd |
For Ivory Coast edit
African Fencing Championship edit
College edit
UAAP Championship edit
All results has been for the Ateneo Blue Eagles.
External links edit
- Maxine Esteban at the International Fencing Federation
References edit
- ^ "ESTEBAN MAXINE ISABEL". Fédération Internationale d'Escrime. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
- ^ "Fencer Maxine Esteban launches another fundraiser, this time for family e-learning kits". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. November 25, 2020. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
She celebrates her 20th birthday on November 26.
- ^ a b Ochoa, Francis T. J. (June 27, 2023). "Finding a home in Ivory Coast, former top PH fencer begins Olympic quest on strong note". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Navarro, June (May 31, 2023). "Top PH fencer Maxine Esteban transfers to Ivory Coast". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
- ^ "Maxine Isabel Estaban FIE Profile". International Fencing Federation. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
- ^ "Maxine Esteban of class 2018 received Bronze medal in the Championnat de France M20, 2018". Immaculate Conception Academy. May 29, 2018. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
- ^ "Maxine Esteban continues to give back while finishing nine online Ivy League courses". Tiebreaker Times. April 30, 2020. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
- ^ "Fencer Maxine Esteban petmalu; gumradweyt Summa Cum Laude". NewsKo (in Filipino). May 25, 2023. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
- ^ a b Tanco, Jodie (June 17, 2021). "Maxine Esteban: the Chinoy fencing prodigy who wants to do it all". Chinoy TV. WCube Solutions Inc.. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
- ^ a b c Caniza, Annika (January 20, 2023). "Never Counted Out: Maxine Esteban Faces Any Challenge Head-On". The Game. One Mega Group Inc. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
- ^ a b "Fencer Esteban remains upbeat". People's Tonight. Journal Online. April 16, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
- ^ Valderrama, Aeron Paul (November 26, 2018). "New Phenom: Maxine Esteban, Ateneo end UE's 11-year reign". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
- ^ a b "Esteban, wagi ng bronze sa World Cup" [Esteban, won a bronze in World Cup]. Balita (in Filipino). November 21, 2018. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
- ^ a b Bancod, Rey (August 13, 2019). "We don't make promises in fencing – Gomez". Tempo. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
- ^ Valderrama, Aeron Paul (May 17, 2022). "SEA Games: Catantan leads women's foil team to silver". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
- ^ Dioquino, Delfin (December 3, 2022). "Guided by esteemed coach, fencer Maxine Esteban keen on fulfilling Olympic dream". Rappler. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
- ^ a b Reyes, Kate (September 27, 2021). "Maxine Esteban bags silver in FIE senior satellite tilt in Uzbekistan". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
- ^ "Maxine Esteban back on the road to chase Olympic dream after ACL injury". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. January 8, 2023. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
- ^ a b "Esteban says PFA move was 'disrespectful'". The Philippine Star. November 29, 2023. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
- ^ Li, Matthew (June 27, 2023). "Maxine Esteban on switching federations: 'It was about self-respect'". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
- ^ Morales, Luisa (June 27, 2023). "Maxine Esteban says nationality switch all about regaining 'self-respect'". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
- ^ Demigillo, Kiko (November 25, 2023). "'Sobra akong nabastos': Maxine Esteban explains final straw in decision to transfer to Ivory Coast". One Sports. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
- ^ Micaller, Bea (June 1, 2023). "POC chief supports fencer Maxine Esteban's decision to switch nationalities, represent Ivory Coast". GMA News. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
- ^ Payo, Jasmine (November 28, 2023). "Why the nationality switch? Maxine Esteban calls out 'unfair' PH fencing". Rappler. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
- ^ a b c "UAAP: Ateneo snags women's fencing crown; UE defends men's title". Rappler. November 26, 2018. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
- ^ "Maxine Esteban shines as Ateneo opens UAAP Fencing back-to-back bid". Tiebreaker Times. February 11, 2020. Retrieved June 4, 2023.