Filipino-Ivorian fencer Maxine Esteban weighs in on her journey balancing an Ivy League education and Olympic aspirations with unwavering determination

Without a doubt, Maxine Esteban, now ranked as the world’s no. 27 fencer, is an achiever who reaches for the stars. Demonstrating talent, skill, and a tenacious work ethic, Esteban has earned both summa cum laude honors at an Ivy League school and a spot at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Formerly a part of the Philippine team where she achieved some historical firsts for the country, she shifted nationalities to represent the West African country of Cote d’Ivoire or the Ivory Coast in 2023, with the full support of the Philippine government. 

“The Philippines and the Ivory Coast are both developing nations where poverty, unemployment, and inequality are among the major concerns,” she reflects. “I  see the need to encourage and inspire the youth into sports, which can fill in the gap for lack of education and unemployment. As a FIl-Ivorian athlete, I have been instilled with the values of perseverance and grit, both the result of the challenges of having limited resources, fewer opportunities, and less infrastructure to make it to the world stage.”

Early days, from ice to steel

While Esteban has high-reaching goals, she recalls her days as a young athlete trying out different sports like taekwondo, swimming, and badminton until settling on figure skating at six years old. She was already competing internationally on the ice when a twist of fate led her to pick up the épée. “When the skating rink in Megamall closed, I had to try other sports,” she recalls. “While watching the movie ‘Parent Trap,’ I chanced upon the sport of fencing.”

As a student at Immaculate Conception Academy, she trained in the nearby fencing club at Xavier School. “What initially drew me to the sport was the fun and enjoyment of holding the blade, hitting your opponent, and not being scolded for doing so,” she jokes. “As I progressed, I got more drawn to it because of how it is both physically and mentally thrilling. It’s not just about being agile or being strong, it is also about strategizing with grace.”

“I was 12 years old at that time, and just five months into playing the sport, [when] I won my first ever competition, beating those who have been fencing for quite some time.” This early success fueled her passion that led to international victories and, ultimately, Olympic qualification.

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The academic and athletic balancing act 

Esteban’s achievements extend beyond the fencing piste, as a summa cum laude graduate from the University of Pennsylvania. 

On the collegiate level, she competed for the Ateneo Blue Eagles fencing team at the University Athletic Association of the Philippines, and was named Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player for the 2018 season. 

As a true scholar-athlete, the balance wasn’t without challenges. “In college, I really had a hard time balancing academics and sports,” Esteban admits. “I was in the management engineering program of Ateneo while competing twice monthly in Europe. I spent most of my weekends inflight, studying and turning in projects, and always at the mercy of my professors.”

Later on, she enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Bachelor of Arts and Applied Sciences, where she majored in leadership and communication, and graduated summa cum laude. 

“I suffered a hand injury when I was 15 as well as a complete ACL tear in 2022, which required a total of three major surgeries. These injuries have affected my performance in the past years.  My mental and emotional state had also been affected… physical wounds are easier to heal,” Esteban says.

“However, I think it was the very strong support system from my family and friends, and the deep relationship I have with God, that I was able to cope with everything,” Esteban says. “With every win, I started to dream bigger. I started to work harder, and eventually, the Olympics suddenly became more than a dream: It was a goal within reach.”

Training season and the Olympic experience

After qualifying for Paris 2024 at the Grand Prix in Washington last March, Esteban continued competing. Following the African Championship in June where Esteban earned a silver medal, she attended a pre-European Championship camp in Austria, training with fencers from Austria and Ukraine. She then returned to Germany for final preparations with her coach where she had regular morning lessons, strength, footwork, and conditioning sessions. In Paris, Esteban participated in a two-week pre-Olympic training camp with the Japan national team and fellow Olympians.

But a week before the Olympics, Esteban had been feeling pain in her reconstructed ACL. “I didn’t want to complain or use it as an alibi because I know that I owe it to all the people supporting me, both Ivorians and Filipinos, to perform strongly. I have learned that before any competition, we must never tell the public about any physical or mental ‘troubles’ because we cannot show any weakness to our opponents. During the game, the pain has been troubling me and I was afraid for a re-tear to happen. I tried my best to go offensive, rather than defensive, which is my forte, because re-tears usually happen when moving backward.”

On July 28, Esteban went up against France’s Pauline Ranvier, the Tokyo Olympics silver medalist. While she did not emerge with a medal, Esteban remains positive.

“I was happy that all my hard work had come to fruition. I had worked for 10 long years for this moment. Fencing anyone in the Top 16 is a challenge… So it was really an honor to fence her (Rinvier). Win or lose, I knew that there would be lessons learned for me.”

Esteban finished 23rd in the final rankings of the Olympics. As she reflects on what’s to come, she says, “My goal every day is to be better than who I was yesterday. My asset is that I am very hardworking and disciplined. I may not be as good today, but I will definitely be better tomorrow…. The long-term goal is to finish a master’s degree, start my own successful and sustainable business venture, and of course try to qualify again in 2028 and get a podium finish.”

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Follow Maxine Esteban’s journey here. Special thanks to Myla Cammayo.