Atin Ito First Filipino Community Newspaper in Ontario
The Philippine boxing team showed its readiness for Olympic qualifications to Paris after scooping four gold medals in the 2024 Boxam Elite Tournament in La Nucia, Spain on Saturday, Feb. 3.
Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Nesthy Petecio bannered the winners after overpowering her taller rival in Chinese Taipei’s Huang Hsiao-Wen with a split 4-1 victory to capture the gold medal in the women’s 57kg division.
Prior to her victory, Petecio first clipped France’s Sthelyne Grosy, 4-2, before her Swiss rival Ana Marija Milisic was forced to abandon their semifinal match in the second round.
Not to be left behind was Aira Villegas, who escaped past her aggressive foe in Kazakhstan’s Kyzaibay Nazym with a close 3-2 decision to rule the women’s 50kg class.
Villegas, who earned an opening round bye, first dominated Irish Caitlin Fryers and English Kelsey Oakley via unanimous decision before prevailing over Nazym.
After becoming the country’s first world vovinam champion last year, Hergie Bacyadan also showed she can excel in boxing by dominating the women’s 75kg via unanimous decision over Yerzhan Gulsaya of Kazakhstan.
She also earned a first-round bye before whipping Mexico’s Citlalli Ortiz, 4-1, en route to the final round.
Meanwhile, 2016 Rio Olympian Rogen Ladon easily clinched the gold medal in the men’s 51kg after winning by default over Hungarian Istvan Szaka.
Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) secretary general Marcus Manalo lauded the efforts of the team as they gear up for tougher tasks ahead.
“This is not yet the Olympic Qualifiers but at least we know we’re taking good steps into that direction,” Manalo posted on social media.
Filipino boxers still have two chances left to qualify for the Paris Olympics via the world championships, which will be first held on Feb. 29 to March 12 in Busto Arsizio, Italy, and on May 23 to June 3 in Bangkok, Thailand.
So far, only Eumir Marcial is the lone boxer who has qualified to Paris after winning the silver medal in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. — Kristel Satumbaga-Villar
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Credit belongs to: www.mb.com.ph
