BACK as Southeast Asian Games featherweight champ, Pinay boxing ace Nesthy Petecio is determined to book a return trip to the Olympics and upgrade the silver she previously won in Tokyo.
A former world champion, Ms. Petecio got her chance at Olympic glory in Tokyo but fell short in a 5-0 loss to hometown bet Sena Irie.
Ms. Petecio’s fellow silver medalist in the 2020 Olympiad, Carlo Paalam, is equally hungry for another crack at the Holy Grail. Paalam may have to slide down to 51kg from his current weight of 54kg, though.
Per reports, the men’s competition in Paris will have 51kg as the lowest weight class with 57kgs as the next.
The Pinoy and Pinay pugilists will hunt for berths to Paris in the coming Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, where two tickets will be up for grabs in each of the seven weight categories in the men’s and four slots will be awarded in each of the four weight classes in the women’s side. — Olmin Leyba