Petecio to make the most out of extended period to book Tokyo Olympic berth
MANILA, Philippines — Given a year to prepare for that one Olympic spot after the 2020 Tokyo Games was reset to next year, Nesthy Petecio vowed to make full use of it by training harder starting this week.
“I was stuck here in Baguio when the lockdown was implemented. Yesterday (Friday) was my last day of quarantine so I will be back to training soon, if my coaches and the big bosses will allow it,” said the 27-year-old Petecio in Filipino.
“I’m still hoping and praying I could compete in the Olympics,” she added.
A favorite to reign supreme in the Asia Oceania Olympic qualifier in Amman, Jordan after topping the World Championship in Ulan-Ude, Russia last year, Petecio failed to live up to expectation and suffered a heartbreaking defeat to Japanese Sena Irie that denied her of a slot to the quadrennial meet.
The Davao City native would have gunned for that spot in the last qualifier in Paris, France this May but will have to make adjustments after the Olympics itself was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
And Petecio agrees with the decision.
“I’m in favor of the postponement not because I’m happy that I was given more time to prepare but because it is for the good of everyone,” she said.
Petecio is one of the country’s best bets to advance to Tokyo and hopefully end the country’s long search for that elusive Olympic gold.
The first four Filipinos to make the cut are world champion gymnast Caloy Yulo, pole-vaulter EJ Obiena and boxers Eumir Felix Marcial and Irish Magno.
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