Philippine boxers shift focus on Tokyo

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine boxing team took a brief break after its impressive SEA Games feat and will buckle down to work starting tomorrow to hone and toughen up for the Tokyo Olympics qualifier in February in China.

“Most of them went home to their provinces last week but they all agreed to return to training on Wednesday because everyone is determined to qualify to Tokyo,” national team coach Roel Velasco, an Olympic bronze medal winner in Barcelona, Spain in 1992, told The STAR yesterday.

The Nationals are in high spirits after lording it over the SEA Games where it emerged the best-performing country with an impressive haul of seven gold, three silver and two bronze medals.

World champion Nesthy Petecio along with fellow SEAG gold medalists Felix Eumir Marcial, Josie Gabuco, Rogen Ladon, Carlo Paalam, James Palicte and Charly Suarez now shift their focus on qualifying for next year’s Olympics.

“Of course, the Olympics is the ultimate goal and ABAP tries its best to give our boxers opportunities to make it there and possibly do well,” said ABAP secretary-general Ed Picson, who thanked the Manny V. Pangilinan Sports Foundation and the Philippine Sports Commission for their all out support.

Picson said the Olympic qualifying phase officially starts in Wuhan, China in February.

“As far as our boxers are concerned, amidst the euphoria of the SEAG, they have agreed to forego their Christmas break and resume their training for the February qualifiers,” said Picson.

“We hope we can sustain the momentum from the World Championships and the SEAG well in the qualifiers,” he added.

Meanwhile, the country will send its Team B composed of Marvin Tabamo, Jere Samuel dela Cruz, Hergie Bacyadan and Nice Zzaa Petecio, Nesthy’s younger sister, in the Grand Slam of Boxing in Xiamen next week.

Joegin Ladon and Mitchel Martinez will handle the squad.