By REY C. LACHICA
PARIS — Boxer Eumir Marcial looks like he has already recovered from a shocking early exit in the Paris Olympics here.
Being a “big brother” to most Filipino athletes here, Marcial returned to the North Paris Arena on Friday to provide morale support to fellow Tokyo Games hero Nesthy Petecio.
And he’s back to his animated self – shouting and raising his clenched fist each time Petecio landed a booming shot to her third-seeded Frenchwoman rival in Amina Zidadi in the round-of-16 of the women’s 57kg class.
Petecio won, 4-1, and Marcial was extremely happy about it.
“Isa na lang,” Marcial shouted at Petecio moments after the latter was declared the winner.
Touted as one of the brightest gold medal prospects here having trained so long in the US after turning pro, Marcial absorbed devastating 5-0 defeat to young and taller Uzbek Turabek Khabibullaev in the round-of-16 of the men’s 80kg. class on Tuesday night, July 30.
Marcial did throw everything at his disposal but fighting in a heavier weight proved too costly and ebbed to his lowest.
Philippine Olympic Committee President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino
described Marcial’s first round exit as an “extremely emotional,” considering the sacrifice and dedication he made for this Paris journey.
