BAGUIO CITY – Two of the University of Baguio’s boxing trio, who all fell last Sunday to Japanese and Indian fighters, could still make it to the Olympics.
Reigning world champion Nesthy Petecio is out, but Irish Magno and Carlo Paalam may still get the back door to Olympics if they get past their respective opponents in the Asian-Oceania Olympics qualifiers in Amman, Jordan on March 11.
Paalam is facing Sakin Bibossinov of Kazakhstan while Magno will go up against Sumaiya Qosimova of Tajikstan on Wednesday night in the hope to catch the last flight to Tokyo, Japan.
On her latest post on her Facebook wall, Petecio wished the fighters good luck.
“Let’s pray and hope (for) Eumir Marcial (who is) fighting versus (an) India(n). Tomorrow’s fight, Carlo Paalam versus (a) Kazakh for the box off and who will be the winner could still make it to Tokyo. Also Irish Magno versus a Tajikstan,” Petecio wrote.
“Malaki chance pa natin makakuha ng slot for Tokyo (We still have a chance to get a slot for Tokyo),” she added.
Marcial is the lone Filipino to have qualified to the Tokyo Olympics after punching his way to the semifinals last March 7.
But it was a black Sunday (March 8) for Marcial’s compatriot, who all hailed from UB.
Petecio, the country’s brightest hope, fell in her first shot at the Olympics as she lost to Japanese Sena Irie in a sort of revenge for the former’s semifinals loss to the Filipina in the AIBA in October last year.
The Japanese scored a 4-1 win over the Southeast Asian gold medalist.
Irie won in the cards of four judges who saw it 30-26, 29-27, 29-27, 29-27 in her favor while a lone judge saw it 29-27 in Petecio’s side.
On her Facebook page, Petecio said: “Sorry po talo ako. Isang push na lang (I’m sorry that I lost. One more push).”
Magno (51 kilograms) was completely outclassed by six-time world champion Mary Kom falling 0-5 to the London Olympics bronze medalist. Magno had a silver in the last SEAG.
Paalam could not get his bearing against another Indian and top seed Amit Panghal as the world silver medalist cruised to a 4-1 win.
Four of the judges saw it 30-27, 29028, 29-28, 29-28 in favor of the Indian while Paalam got the nod of a single judge who saw it 30-27. **By Pigeon Lobien
