In an exclusive Interview with Lifestyle Asia, Maxine Esteban shared how she became the Olympic trailblazer she is today.
The human body is truly a complex machine. It responds to how it is treated and conditioned. Athletes like Olympic fencer Maxine Esteban undergo rigorous training and conditioning, further honing their talents to excel in their sport, pushing their bodies to newer limits every time. However, the human body isn’t just all about strength and endurance.
Aside from the systems and parts we learned when we were younger, our bodies are also composed of hormones—chemicals that determine how our bodies react to situations. One particular hormone that our bodies often release in times of stress and excitement is adrenaline, which is responsible for the fight-or-flight response.
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The idea that our bodies produce chemicals to properly respond to situations is truly a marvel of science. Our fight-or-flight response enables us to see and assess the situation, giving us the choice of whether to leave a stressful situation or stay and power through.
In an exclusive interview with Lifestyle Asia, Maxine shared her triumphs and challenges—where she learned that sometimes fighting does not reflect strength, flying does.
Maxine Esteban, an Olympic fencer born in the Philippines represented Cote d’Ivoire in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Tip Of The Sword
Maxine is every parent’s dream child. The 24-year-old Olympic fencer is well-rounded—excelling in academics and extracurricular activities. She graduated from Ateneo with a degree in Management Engineering. Afterward, she enrolled in UPENN with a Bachelor of Arts & Applied Sciences degree majoring in Leadership and Communication, eventually graduating Summa Cum Laude.
Her academic prowess is a testament to her dedication and ability to be outstanding in whatever she puts her mind to. In Ateneo, she became the Rookie of the Year and MVP during her freshman year. She was also awarded the Lady Eagle of the Year Awardee and the Moro Lorenzo Awardee for Excellence in Sports.
Aside from fencing, Maxine plays the violin, e-sports, and is also an entrepreneur
Her accolades also extend to her fencing career. She was a national athlete at the age of 15, and while representing the Philippines, became a Junior World Cup bronze medalist, a two-time Senior Satellite World Cup Medalist, and was the highest-ranked Filipino fencer in the world. The newest laurel in Maxine’s wreath was representing Cote d’Ivoire in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Aside from being an academic achiever and a well-decorated fencer, Maxine also loves to log in to her computer and play e-sports. “I love e-sports. I am an avid DOTA and Mobile Legends player,” she happily shared. Moreover, she reveals that her love for e-sports is one of the sides of her she wants people to know more about.
Sharpening The Blade
Maxine acknowledges that her success is not hers alone. From being an academic achiever to becoming an Olympic fencer, she couldn’t have done it without the foundation and building blocks. “A strong support system, a deep relationship with God, and a true love for fencing—these are all the ingredients that helped me cope,” Maxine explained.
Her family supported Maxine throughout her academic and fencing career. This became the foundation that gave the Olympic fencer the confidence and security to pursue her dreams and aspirations.
Maxine believes that luxury is being able to spend time with family.
“At a young age, my parents instilled in us good study habits and encouraged us to excel academically. They also encouraged us to take up one musical instrument and a sport of our choice. When they saw my passion for fencing, they supported me completely,” she shared.
She acknowledged that her mom is an instrumental figure in her success. “Her grace in the face of challenges, unwavering fortitude, and boundless kindness serve as a guiding light in my life,” she said. Maxine’s mom also instilled values that helped her progress as a great athlete, a good student, and more importantly a better person. “Her strength and intelligence are qualities I deeply admire, and they motivate me to strive for excellence in all that I do,” she adds.
As a young athlete who needs to travel around the world for training and a former international student, she values keeping her family close. “Having the people that truly matter to you beside you. When I was younger, I prioritized my dreams over anything. The realization of my dreams was my happiness and peace. Now, having my family beside me is true happiness. It is a true luxury.”
Double-Edged Sword
Maxine’s journey to the Olympics and academic attainment and accomplishments were not the easiest. She had to work hard—blood, sweat, and tears were shed to become successful in both spheres of her life. Success does not happen overnight—it is achieved through overcoming challenges, enduring growing pains, and finding the strength to leave a painful situation behind.
“In college, I really had a hard time balancing academics, sports, and social life. I was in the Management Engineering program of Ateneo while competing twice monthly in Europe. I spent most of my weekends in flight, studying and turning in projects, and always at the mercy of my professors,” she recalled.
“I knew right then that fencing was my life,” Maxine talking about winning a medal in the SEA Games
Moreover, before being a representative of Cote d’Ivoire in the 2024 Paris Olympics, she had to endure injuries—which challenged her physically and mentally. “I suffered from a hand injury when I was 15, as well as a complete ACL tear in 2022, which required a total of three major surgeries… My mental and emotional state had been severely affected. All these have affected my performance in the past year while I competed in the Olympic qualifiers,” she shared.
“I think with a strong support system from family and friends, and a deep relationship with God, I was able to cope,” she said.
Even after earning the awards and overcoming all these challenges, Maxine sees her greatest triumph in a different light. She admits that for her, her biggest victory was walking away from a place where she wasn’t valued and turning that adversity into an opportunity for growth.
En Garde, Prêts, Allez
After everything she had to endure and achieved at a young age, her determination to be one of fencing’s best is unwavering. “The big dream is to qualify again and achieve a podium finish in the LA 2028 Olympics,” she said. Her love for fencing is a force within her that enabled her to be where she is today. From picking up her first blade at the age of 12 to eventually becoming the Olympic fencer she is now, her love and passion for the sport helped her break through countless challenges.
Having experienced the struggles of student-athletes and Filipino athletes in general, Maxine’s advocacy is centered around her lived experiences. “I see myself as an advocate of Philippine sports, in education and legislation. I would like to support more student-athletes in the field of fencing and come up with proposed legislation that will promote the welfare and protect the rights of our athletes,” she shared.
Maxine’s main advocacies are education and legislation for Filipino athletes
Currently, she is working with a few Filipino Olympians on a proposed bill that will protect the rights of Filipino athletes. Focused on due process, the selection and retention processes of NSAs, safe sports policies, as well as medical and long-term support for athletes.
“I like this saying, ‘I survived because the fire burning inside me burned brighter than the fire around me.’ For me, power is the ability to inspire and influence others,” she shared. Maxine’s dedication to her craft and love for the sport enabled her to create the path she is marching on today.
All photos by Kieran Punay of KLIQ, INC.
