Phl boxers gird for Olympic qualifiers

Five male and five female boxers are out to join Eumir Marcial in representing the country in the coming Olympics but their road to Paris will go through tough qualifiers in Busto Arsizio, Italy, on Feb. 29-March 12 and in Bangkok, Thailand, on May 23-June 3.

ABAP secretary-general Marcus Manalo said yesterday he expects “a really tough task to qualify at the world level.” So far, 109 boxers from 49 countries have booked tickets to Paris, making it via the continental route in the European Games, Asian Games, Pan American Games, Pacific Games and Africa Games. Australia has the most qualifiers with 12 in 13 divisions. Brazil is next with nine. China leads Asia with seven followed by Thailand, Uzbekistan and Chinese-Taipei with four apiece. Japan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and North Korea account for two each.

There will be 50 slots up for grabs in the Italy qualifiers, 28 in men’s and 22 in women’s. In the Bangkok qualifiers, up to 51 boxers will advance. The IOC has allocated four universality slots for men in the 57kg, 63.5kg, 71kg and 80kg divisions and five for women in the 50kg, 54kg, 57kg, 60kg and 66kg divisions.

For the Philippines, the five male hopefuls are Rogen Ladon, 30 (51kg), Carlo Paalam, 25 (57kg), Mark Ashley Fajardo, 19 (63.5kg), Ronald Chavez Jr., 24 (71kg) and John Marvin, 31 (92kg). The five female contenders are Aira Villegas, 28 (50kg), Claudine Veloso, 24 (54kg), Nesthy Petecio, 31 (57kg), Riza Pasuit, 31 (60kg) and Hergie Bacyadan, 29 (75kg).

Manalo said the 10-strong squad trained in Australia last Jan. 14-27 and will participate in the Boxam Tournament in Alicante, Spain on Jan. 29-Feb. 4. Then, the team will set up camp at the Infanta Cristina High Performance Center in Los Alcazares, Murcia, Spain on Feb. 4-28. The fighters will fly from Murcia to Italy for the first Olympic qualifier.