By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Nesthy Petecio opened her title campaign in style while Carlo Paalam’s medal bid was scuttled on Thursday, Feb. 1, in the 2024 Boxam Elite Tournament in La Nucia, Spain.
Petecio, who is seeking a return trip to the Olympics following a silver-medal finish at the 2020 Tokyo Games, used her experience to the max in posting a 4-1 win over Frenchwoman Sthelyne Grosy to book a semifinal berth in the women’s 57kg division.
The triumph set up the 31-year-old a clash with Swiss fighter Ana Marija Milisic, who overpowered Hungarian Rebeka Dobos, 5-0.
The other semis pit Chinese Taipei’s Huang Hsiao-Wen, who clobbered Hungary’s Szabina Szucs with a unanimous decision, against hometown bet Jenifer Fernandez Romero, who prevailed via 4-1 split decision over Kazakhstan’s Karina Ibragimova.
Not so fortunate was Paalam, a fellow silver medalist in the Tokyo Olympics, who suffered a close 3-2 defeat at the hands of Cuban Ewart Andres Marin Hernandez in the quarterfinals of the men’s 57kg class.
A victory for Paalam could have set him up a semis date with Welsh Owain Harris-Allen, who also squeaked past Italian Francesco Iozia, 3-2.
Paalam, also a 2022 Asian Champion, started his campaign with a victory over Mexican Miguel Fernando Vega a few days before losing his touch against Hernandez.
Still in the hunt for PH side are Aira Villegas (women’s 50kg) and Rogen Ladon (men’s 51kg), who advanced to the semis on Thursday, Feb. 1, and Hergie Bacyadan (women’s 75kg), who earned an opening round bye in the women’s 75kg and is set to collide with Mexican Citlalli Ortiz.
The tournament serves as part of the PH team’s preparations for the Olympic qualifiers in Paris.