Phl boxers start Paris quest
Tokyo Olympics silver medalists Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam banner the Philippine boxing team’s 10-man team in the 1st World Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Busto Arsizio, Italy starting Monday. Petecio will compete in the women’s 57-kilogram division while Paalam is set to fight in the men’s 51kg division in an attempt to qualify for the 2024 Paris Summer Games in July.
So far, Eumir Marcial is the lone boxer qualified for the Paris Olympics after getting a silver medal in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou last September. Olympic aspirants will only need to make it to the semifinal of each weight division in the men’s division as well as four of the six weight categories in the women’s division.
The only exceptions to this are the women’s 57kg division, which requires boxers to make it to the final, and the women’s 60kg division where boxers need to finish at least with a bronze medal to punch a ticket to the French capital.
Rio de Janeiro Olympian Rogen Ladon, who is currently fighting as of press time, is competing in the men’s 51kg with Mark Ashley Fajardo in the 63.5kg, Ronald Chavez Jr in the 71kg and John Nobel Marvin in the 92kg bannering the men’s side.
Meanwhile in the women’s side, Aira Villegas fights in the 50kg division, Claudine Veloso in the 54kg, Riza Pasuit in the 60kg division and Hergie Bacyadan in the 75kg join Petecio in pursuing slots in the Olympics.
The Philippines hopes to do better than the Tokyo edition after taking two silver medals and one bronze medal in 2021.