University of Baguio athletes Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam have qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after months of training amidst the pandemic.
The International Olympic Committee Boxing Task Force (IOC-BTF) has informed the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) that Petecio and Paalam qualified for the Summer Olympics due to their high ranking in their divisions.
The two athletes will join fellow Cardinal boxer Irish Magno and Eumir Marcial, who earlier qualified for the Olympics by virtue of their wins in the Asia-Oceania Olympic qualification tournament in Amman, Jordan last year.
Magno will see action in the flyweight (52-kilogram) while Petecio will fight in the featherweight (57 kg.) with Paalam and Marcial fighting in the flyweight and middleweight classes, respectively.
Petecio and Paalam along with some members of the national boxing squad joined other national teams in the bubble training at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna in preparation for the announcement of additional Olympic slots.
ABAP President Ricky Vargas has welcomed the development with elation and called on Filipinos to rally behind our athletes.
“Let us all get together and focus on the challenges ahead not only of our boxers, but also all Filipino athletes. Now, more than ever, they need us to stand firmly behind them,” Vargas said. – Harley F. Palangchao
April 26, 2024
