TOKYO – Just moments after Nesthy Petecio cut down world No. 1 Lin Yu-ting in their round-of-16 match on Monday, her coach Don Abnett was asked how confident he is about the Filipino's chances in the succeeding rounds.
"Very," said the Aussie coach.
That confident should be infectious as Petecio, the world champion in 2019 now No. 7 ranked featherweight in the world, progresses deep into the bracket needing a win for a guaranteed medal and three wins for a gold medal.
By beating the tall and rangy Lin, the 29-year old Petecio had overcome what was easily the biggest hurdle to her bid to become the second gold medalist in this talent-laden 19-man Philippine contingent after weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz.
Abnett and Petecio, however, know fully well they can't afford to lapse into compacency from here on, beginnng with a quarterfinal against Colombia’s Yeni Marcela Arias Castaneda on Wednesday morning at the Kokugikan Arena here.
Not with a medal within reach.
“We will look at the videos of her (Castaneda) fights here,” said Abnett, who so far has pushed all the right buttons for a four-man Philippine team that has yet to taste defeat a week into this quadrennial conclave.
“We know her next opponent will be tough, but we’re very confident.”
A victory by Petecio will serve as a fitting follow-up to weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz's historic gold medal in the 55kg division on Monday and guarantee the first multi-medal performance by a Philippine contingent in 89 years.
In 1932, the Philippines won three bronze medals in the Los Angeles Games courtesy of Simeon Toribio (men's high jump), Teofilo Yldefonso (swimming) and bantamweight Jose Villanueva, father of 1964 silver medalist Anthony.
On Thursday, Eumir Felix Marcial, the No. 4 seed and one of the favorites for gold, makes her debut against Younes Nemouchi of Algeria in the 69-76kg division while Irish Magno takes on Thailand’s Jutamas Jitpong in the women's flyweigh class.
Flyweight Carlo Paalam, fresh from a 4-1 win over Ireland’s Brendan Irvine on Monday, takes on Algeria’s Mohamed Flissi on Saturday in a round-of-16 match.
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