By ASSOCIATED PRESS
PARIS – After rookie Aira Villegas, it’s time for the top guns – Nesthy Petecio and Eumir Marcial – to show the stuff that made them legends after the Covid-delayed Tokyo Games three years ago.
Certainly, it’s going to be a rough one for both of them in the Paris Olympics even though they were able to go home with medals around their necks – a silver for Petecio and a bronze for Marcial the last time,
And nerve-wracking, too.
Petecio, who earlier said this Paris Olympics could be her last considering her age – she is now 32 – battles Indian Jaismine in the round-of-32 of the women’s 57 kg division with the Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur native looking supremely confident to hurdle her first test.
Marcial, on the other hand, collides with Asian Games bronze medalist Turabek Khabibullaev of the Uzbekistan in the round-of-16 of men’s 80kg. class with the pride of Zamboanga aiming for a rousing win that will serve as his bold statement to his rivals.
As in the past, Petecio is not looking past her Indian rival, saying: “Olympics na ito, so lahat magagaling. Hindi puede maging overconfident.”
Should Petecio beat her Indian rival, she will have to clear a high hurdle as she goes up against No. 3 seed and Frenchwoman Armina Zidani to advance to the quarterfinals.
Petecio’s showdown with the local bet could be the start of her long and difficult journey to the top as she is likely to face No. 2 seed Tina Rahimi in the semis granting she emerges victorious in her next two fights including a possible clash with Kazakhstan’s Karina Ibragimova.
World champion Lin Yu-ting of Chinese Taipei and featherweight silver medalist Irma Testa of Italy are in the opposite bracket, making her chase for the Olympic gold even dangerous.
The same thing is said for Marcial, who like Petecio is determined to complete his unfinished business in the lovely French capital after falling short in Tokyo.
Marcial, who watched the match of Villegas excitedly as she was seen and heard shouting instructions from a distance, likes his chances against the Uzbek, saying: “Lamang ako sa experience pero hindi tayo makakasigurado. Taga Uzbeklistan iyan at alam ng lahat na boxing ang popular na sport sa kanila.
Still, Marcial is unfazed.
“Handa ako,” said Marcial, who won his bronze in the lower division.
Even if he gets past Khabibullaev, Marcial faces a formidable foe come the quarterfinals because reigning light-heavyweight champion Arlen Lopez of Cuba is right in his path.
Lopez is also a professional fighter like the No. 7 seed Marcial.
And is also perfect in two pro fights aside from also winning the gold in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games while still fighting as a middleweight.
The revered Cuban fighter is set to face Kaan Aykutsun of Turkey who is coming off a 4-1 win over Italian Salvatore Cavallaro at the start of the boxing competition last Sunday.
