Team Philippines Loses Three More Medal Contenders

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MANILA, Philippines — Amid moments of reflection following victories and defeats, the Philippine boxing team continues its quest for Olympic glory at the 2024 Paris Games.


Hergie Bacyadan and Carlo Paalam recently stepped into the ring, representing the country in their debut matches on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Aira Villegas is gearing up for her bout against Morocco's Yasmine Moutakki on Friday, just past midnight Manila time.


“We need to study her and train hard,” Villegas said regarding her upcoming match.


Mixed Results in Boxing


The Philippine boxing team experienced varied outcomes in Paris on Wednesday. Nesthy Petecio advanced to the round-of-16 in the women’s 57-kg category after a dominant performance against India’s Jaismine Lamboria. Petecio, a silver medalist from the Tokyo Olympics, secured the victory with three 30-27 scores and two 29-28 scores, effectively using her experience to counteract Lamboria’s height and youth.


Conversely, Eumir Marcial, a bronze medalist from Tokyo, was unexpectedly defeated by Uzbekistan's Turabek Khabibullaev in the men's 80-kg round of 16. Marcial struggled against his taller opponent, losing by unanimous decision.


Hergie Bacyadan also exited the competition after facing Li Qian of China. Despite her efforts, Bacyadan was unable to overcome Li’s precise jabs and was eliminated from medal contention.


Petecio’s Path Forward


Petecio will next face France’s Amina Zidani, a former European gold medalist, in the round-of-16. Petecio acknowledged the need for a meticulous strategy to defeat Zidani, who is a formidable opponent.


Other Filipino Athletes


Swimmer Kayla Sanchez set a new Philippine record in the women’s 100-meter freestyle heats with a time of 53.67 seconds but did not advance to the finals after finishing seventh in her semifinal heat. Reflecting on her season, Sanchez noted the challenges and the need for a break before preparing for future competitions, including the Asian Games in September.


Despite these setbacks, Team Philippines remains determined. Carlos Yulo is still vying for a medal in men’s gymnastics, while EJ Obiena aims to challenge world record holder Mondo Duplantis in the pole vault event later in the Olympiad.


As the games progress, the spirit of resilience and determination continues to drive the Philippine team forward in their pursuit of Olympic success.

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