Good, better, best

FIRST, the good news. After M & M aka Marcial and Magno had booked boxing slots to the Tokyo Ollmpics, P & P followed suit one year later.

M & M, of course, are Eumir Marcial and Irish Magno. Both advanced via the Asian-Oceanian Olympic Qualifiers in Amman, Jordan, in March 2020.

Marcial is in the men’s middleweight (75 kg) and Magno women’s flyweight (52 kg).

Just the other day, the International Olympic Committee Boxing Task Force (IOC-BTF) informed the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) that Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam will join Marcial and Magno to the Tokyo Games starting July 23.

The IOC told the POC that Petecio and Paalam had qualified by virtue of their highest standing based on the IOC’s Boxing Task Force rankings.

This means Petecio and Paalam escaped the rigors of another qualifying event that was scrapped, obviously because of COVID-19 issues gripping the world for the second straight year now.

Petecio is our chief contender in the women’s featherweight (57 kg) and Paalam in the men’s flyweight (52 kg).

With the quartet’s qualification, boxing becomes the most represented sport in the coronavirus-postponed Summer Games.

Also advancing earlier were gymnast Carlos Yulo, training in Tokyo since last year, and pole vaulter EJ Obiena, honing his skills in Italy the last 12 months or so.

And what’s the bad news?

None. Only better news.

Ricky Vargas, the country’s boxing chief, said he was overjoyed to receive the news of the unimpeded advance of Petecio and Paalam, In a statement, he called for full support behind the campaign of the four boxers.

Vargas’position might even qualify as the best news to have come out from the boxing front after Marcial and Magno had recently rued the alleged non-support of officials on their missing allowances the last two months.

Vargas did not dignify the rants even as he assured “full financial” assistance to all his boxers.

Peace, not war. Love, not war.

“Let us all get together and focus on the challenges ahead not only of our boxers but all Filipino athletes as well. Now, more than ever, they need us to stand firmly behind them,” Vargas said.

A gentleman just doesn’t bite too easily.