By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
The job is not yet done for the Philippine boxing team after sending two more fighters to the 2024 Paris Olympics slated late next month.
Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) secretary general Marcus Manalo said expectations are high for the Filipino pugs after managing to qualify the biggest boxing delegation since the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Three of five qualifiers – Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam and Eumir Marcial – the were medalists in the 2020 Tokyo Games.
“Greater pressure and higher expectations. We know it will be really hard to go back to the podium and to finish at the top of the podium at the biggest stage,” Manalo said.
The trio of Petecio, Paalam and Marcial, who won two silver and one bronze medal in Tokyo, will be joined by first-timers Aira Villegas and Hergie Bacyadan this time. Villegas, a bronze medalist at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, earned a berth in the women’s 50kg at the 1st world qualification in Italy, while Bacyadan caught the last bus in the women’s 75kg at the 2nd qualification in Thailand over the weekend.
The PH crew, particularly latest qualifiers Paalam and Bacyadan, has seven weeks left before competition at the Games fires off on July 27 at the iconic Roland Garros Stadium, but Manalo is confident the boxers can deliver.
After all, all five passed through the proverbial eye of the needle before clinching that coveted Olympics ticket.
Marcial almost missed the 19th Asian Games, where he qualified, due to professional obligations. Petecio was up and down the past two years and had to win five bouts in nine days to grab the slot in Italy.
Paalam also had to pull out in Italy due to shoulder injury and missed a camp and a tournament to spend majority of the time in rehab before qualifying for Thailand, as well as Villegas, who suffered from a series of injuries and missed tournaments and training camps. Bacyadan, for her part, had a tough time transitioning back to boxing after competing in vovinam last year.
“This Olympic qualification is definitely a tougher route for all of them,” Manalo said.
“But it seems like they have what it takes. They’ve shown it. And we will be here to provide the best possible support for them. Can’t wait. Let’s run it back. With additional firepower,” he added.
The boxers are scheduled to train with the rest of the Filipino qualifiers in the city of Metz this month before jumping into action in the ring.
