By MARK REY MONTEJO
Carlo Paalam vowed to return stronger and bolder in his next Paris Olympics campaign after his bid was cut short over the weekend in the World Qualification Tournament in Busto Arsizio, Italy.
On a social media post, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics silver medalist said he was still nursing a shoulder injury he sustained in his previous bout that forced him to abandon his Round of 16 match against Turkmenistan’s Shuku Ovezov in the men’s 57kg event.
“Unfortunately, I sustained an injury in my last match that hasn’t fully healed, and during the course of the fight, it became apparent that continuing would risk further damage,” said Paalam, who threw in the total at the 52-second mark of the second round.
“As much as it pains me to step away from the ring in this manner, my health and well-being must always come first. I appreciate all of your support and understanding during this challenging time,” he added.
A victory for Paalam could have inched him two wins closer to earning an Olympic berth to Paris as four tickets are allocated in his weight class.
Still, the Bukidnon native — and his seven other teammates who crashed out in the event — still has one more shot left for a return trip to the Games as a second World Qualification Tournament is set in May in Bangkok, Thailand.
“Rest assured, I am focused on recovering fully so I can come back stronger and continue pursuing my passion for boxing. Thank you for your continued support and encouragement,” he said.
At press time, only Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas are still in contention in Italy as they moved one win away from clinching Olympic tickets.
Eumir Marcial is so far the only Filipino boxer qualified to the Paris Games following his silver medal finish in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China last year.
