By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Filipino boxers opened their Paris Olympics campaign with a bang after two fighters advanced to the next round at the start of the World Qualifications Tournament in Busto Arsizio, Italy on Sunday, March 3 (Monday, March 4 in Manila).
Nesthy Petecio, who eyes a return trip to the Games after winning the silver medal in the 2020 Tokyo edition, displayed her might early in her women’s 57kg match by crushing Andela Brankovic in a referee-stopped-contest decision.
The 2019 world champion pounced on her rival with vicious shots until referee Bachir Abbar stopped the match at the 1:02 mark of the first round.
Two-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Rogen Ladon was equally brutal in the men’s 51kg, thumping hometown bet Emilio Serra Federico for a 4-1 victory.
Judges from Canada, Morocco, Korea and Netherlands favored the 30-year-old Negros Occidental native, while the judge from Puerto Rico awarded a slim win to the Italian pug.
Not so fortunate, though, was Riza Pasuit, who crashed out early in the women’s 60kg after absorbing a 5-0 loss to Venezuelan fighter Krisandy Rios.
Two judges gave Rios a close 29-28 victory, another two scored 29-27, and one judge awarded 30-27.
Meanwhile, Petecio and Ladon advanced to the second round of their stacked field with Petecio arranging her next fight against Tokyo Olympian Maria Claudia Nechita, who earned an opening-round bye.
Ladon, for his part, sets up a date with 20222 Mediterranean Games silver medalist Said Mortaji of Morocco, who also earned a bye.
Seven other Filipinos are seeing action in the tournament with Mark Ashley Fajardo taking the ring on Tuesday, March 5, in the men’s 63.5kg and Ronald Chavez in the men’s 71kg.
Other Filipino fighters competing in the coming days are John Marvin in the men’s 92kg, Aira Villegas in women’s 50kg, Claudine Veloso in women’s 54kg and Hergie Bacyadan in women’s 75kg.
A total of 21 Olympic slots for women and 28 tickets for men are at stake in the 13 weight categories of the tournament, which served as one of the last two qualifiers left for the Games.
Eumir Marcial has already qualified after winning silver in the men’s 80kg of the 19th Asian Games in China last year.
