Manila: The Philippine boxing team is set to break a 16-year gold medal drought at the 20th Asian Games scheduled from September 19 to October 4 in Nagoya, Japan. Leading the charge are Olympic medalists Nesthy Petecio (60kg), Aira Villegas (51kg), Carlo Paalam (55 kg), and Eumir Marcial (80 kg), along with Riza Pasuit (54 kg), Junmilardo Ogayre (60 kg), and Norlan Petecio (70 kg).
According to Philippines News Agency, Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines (ABAP) president Marcus Manalo expressed his anticipation during the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum. He acknowledged the challenge facing the seven-member team but remained optimistic about their chances. Manalo particularly highlighted the role of Eumir Marcial, a bronze medalist at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the only Filipino boxer to secure a medal in the last Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. Marcial is scheduled for a professional fight in Los Angeles on September 19, and there are hopes for him to be in top form for the games in Nagoya.
Manalo also addressed the absence of Weljon Mindoro, who was unable to compete in Nagoya following a knockout loss in a recent professional fight in California. Despite the challenges, Manalo is confident in the Olympic medalists, recognizing both the advantages and the pressures they face as competitors to beat.
The Filipino boxers have recently completed a two-week training camp in Thailand, where they trained alongside teams from China, Jordan, Chinese-Taipei, and the host country. They headed to Nagoya for a shorter training camp to acclimatize before the competition begins on September 21.
Reflecting on the past performances, Manalo noted that the last gold medal for the Philippines was won by Rey Saludar in 2010 (-52kg). Since then, the team has collected three silver and five bronze medals. He emphasized the significance of winning a gold medal in the Asian Games, equating it to the difficulty of achieving Olympic success. With countries like Uzbekistan, China, and Chinese-Taipei dominating the gold medal tally in previous games, the competition remains fierce.
