By REY C. LACHICA
PARIS – Two more Filipino boxers – Tokyo Games silver medal winner Carlo Paalam and rookie Hergie Bacyadan – make their much-awaited debuts in the 20024 Paris Olympics on Wednesday, July 31, each one facing a different challenge.
Of the two, Bacyadan, who hails from Tabuk, Kalinga, is carrying the burden of going up against the top seed in Chinese Li Qian in the round-of-16 of the women’s 75kg class at the North Paris Arena.
Paalam, on the other hand, collides with young but aggressive Jude Gallagher of Ireland also in the round-of-16 of the men’s 57kg class in a fight the former garbage scavenger from Cagayan de Oro can’t afford to take lightly.
At 5-foot-10, the Chinese enjoys a 4-inch edge over the Filipino bet which she is likely to take advantage as she tries to complete her unfinished business in the Olympics – being a bronze medalist in the Rio de Janeiro Games and a silver in the Covid-delayed 2020 Tokyo Games.
It’s a tall order for the former wushu practitioner but definitely Bacyadan is not the one who will be cowed easily.
“Nakahanda kami, lahat ng preparasyon ginawa na namin para dito sa Olympics,” said coach Ronald Chavez.
Not only for this year’s Olympics but also for the legacy of PH boxing. And for rhe country, too.
That will also be the extra motivation for the 26-year-old Paalam in his bout against a 22-year old rival who rose to international fame when he bagged the gold in the Commonwealth Games.
The well-mannered Paalam went through a lot of adjustments after going up from flyweight to featherweight but managed to survive all of them – thanks largely to his storied past that helped prepare and toughen him for all the challenges that come his way.
But dangers lurks around in his bid for greatness as he is likely to face top seed Abdulmalik Khalokov of Uzbekistan in the semis granting they hurdle their first two fights.
One thing going for both Paalam and Bacyadan is that they are going to the arena fully inspired by the win of Aira Villegas on Sunday.
Nesthy Petecio and Eumir Marcial, silver and bronze medalists in the Tokyo Games, have scheduled fights on Tuesday.
Boxing has been a great source of pride, accounting for 8 of the country’s 15 medals since its first competed in the biggest sports show on earth 100 years ago also here in the captivating French capital known for its iconic places and buildings and churches of great architectural designs.
