WATCH: Fencer Maxine Esteban out to make her parents proud in Olympic Games Paris 2024

Maxine Esteban (center) with her proud parents

The Lindsay Lohan-starrer "The Parent Trap" inspired Maxine Esteban to try out fencing.  

"She (Lindsay) was beautiful in that movie," the Pinay athlete said in an interview. "It was really cool and the outfit was so nice..." 

Describing the combat sport as requiring "the grace of a woman and the strength of a man," Maxine is now in Paris because she made it to this year's Summer Games to be held there in July. 

Maxine is the first Filipino fencer to have qualified in the Olympics. 

She is 62nd in the World Senior Ranking for fencing, and a 2023 African bronze medalist in women's foil.

During her tenure under the Philippine flag, she became a 2017 Southeast Asian foil bronze medalist, and team foil silver medalist in 2019 and 2021.

But it's her parents, and not the movie, she credits for excelling in her sport of choice.

"They've always been my biggest supporters," she said. "Not just in fencing but in everything. They've always encouraged me---never pressured me---telling me always that I just do my best. I'm going to Paris to make them proud."

Maxine and her dad have always been close to each other. He taught her to play DOTA and there was a time during the pandemic that they would do so every single night.

Is there something she does outside fencing that helps her become a good fencer, we asked.

"Shopping," she said which had everyone interviewing her in stitches. "Shopping helps me become a better fencer because it's good for stress relief---or maybe excuse ko lang yon."

Maxine Esteban

Currently being mentored by Italian Andrea Magro, who has produced no less than 16 Olympic medals, Maxine enthused that fencing requires her to "think about every single move."

"Every single move is calculated," she said. "Fencing is like physical chess."

The athlete recalled that as a teenager, there were many times when she sacrificed her social life for fencing.

"My blockmates lumalabas pag weekends but I can't go because may fencing competition ako," Maxine said. "Mahirap din i-balance and studies and fencing, mahirap ang schedule."

Things are better now. Maxine has a boyfriend; a fencer, himself, representing Indonesia though he is of Filipino-Chinese descent. 

The Pinay athlete may be representing Ivory Coast now, but she said she'll always be Filipino at heart.

"I'm in a special place going to the Olympics because I get special support from both the Philippines and Ivory Coast. I've been dreaming of making it to the Olympics since I was eight years old and now that I'm here, I thank my parents, my sponsors and my Filipino fans."