PHILIPPINE boxing association officials are not guaranteeing a gold medal in the Paris Olympics, but they are not discounting the possibility that having formed one of the best squads for the Games, the boxers' chances of winning one, or perhaps, even two are achievable.
“Itong five na nag-qualify, we feel have a very good chance to podium and to go all the way,” said ABAP secretary-general Marcus Jarwin Manalo, who accompanied the team to the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum on Tuesday at the conference hall of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
“We’re very optimistic that this is really a strong five that we’re bringing (to the Paris Olympics)," he said.
READ Carlo Paalam punches way to Paris Olympics
In the Tokyo Olympics held in 2021, the Philippines won three medals - two silvers and bronze - in its most productive Olympics ever.
All three medalists earned their way to Paris and will likely be the subject of intense study by their opponents knowing that the trio had been there and done that.
The three are silver medalists Nesthy Petacio (57 kg) and Carlo Paalam (57 kg) and bronze medalist Eumir Marcial (80). They will be joined in the Olympics by qualifiers Aira Villegas (50 kg) and Hergie Bacyadan (75 kg).
The boxers know how difficult it would be to win a medal in the Olympics. This is the post-pandemic era and their opponents have most likely undergone some of the most intense training ahead of the Games.
“Alam kong hindi ganun kadali ngayon yung pag-dadaanan ko sa Paris, especially iba siya sa Tokyo," said Petecio. " Kasi sa Tokyo walang exposure halos, walang laro, walang multi-training na ginawa. Ngayon open na. So hindi basta-basta gaya ng iniisip ng iba."
“Iba na yung level ng mga boxers ngayon. Kung may pinaka-maliit pa na butas ng karayom na pagdadaanan ko, mas maliit pa yung daan na gagawin ko dito,” added the 32-year-old Petecio, who was with Villegas, Bacyadan, and coaches Don Abnett, Reynaldo Galido, and Ronald Chavez in the same public sports program.
PSC chairman Richard Bachmann briefly joined the boxing team and wished them well in their Olympic campaign.
Both Bacyadan and Villegas agree with what Petecio said regarding the coming Olympic competition.
“Hindi naman talaga basta-basta yung makakalaban namin dun. Kaya sa akin kailangan ko pang mapunan kung ano yung kakulangan ko para prepare ako pagdating sa Paris,” said the 28-year-old Bacyadan, a world vovinam champion.
Added Villegas, “First time akong mag Olympics, pero halos lahat ng nasa weight categories ko nakalaban ko na rin. And mga world champion din yung mga nandun, and ako baguhan pa lang naman.”
Coaches Abnett, Galido, and Chavez like the chances of the five Filipino boxers who qualified – the most number for a Philippine boxing team to the Olympics since the 1996 Atlanta Games.
Abnett likes PH buildup
“It’s great to have these three medalists from the last Olympics join this team. And as far as the preparations and competitions that they’ve joined this year, their performances have been great,” Abnett said.
“Itong dala naming lima, pinakamalakas ito na team. Hindi ako magbabanggit ng medalya kung anumang kulay siya. Basta itong lima, siguradong magde-deliver,” said Chavez, who represented the country in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
The boxing team will leave on June 22 for a month-long training in Metz, France. After that, the boxers will go to Germany on August 1 for another round of training and will be joined by boxers from other countries who also qualified to the Olympics.
The weekly Forum is presented by San Miguel Corporation, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, MILO, Smart/PLDT, and ArenaPlus.
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