Pinay boxers stranded at PhilSports

MANILA, Philippines — The return of the Philippine women’s boxing team, led by Tokyo Olympics-bound Irish Magno, to their respective provinces has been pushed back to a still undetermined date.

The female boxers were supposed to head home last week coming from the Teachers’ Camp in Baguio City, their training quarters since the pandemic broke out last March.

But there’s been a delay.

Now stranded at the PhilSports Complex in Pasig City, they have to wait a little longer for the re-scheduling of their flights, and are required to do a 14-day quarantine.

“We’re staying here in Ultra maybe until July 15. There’s still no date for our re-scheduled flights,” Magno told The STAR.

After more than three months in the country’s summer capital, the Janiuay, Iloilo native and the rest of the Pinay fighters were recalled back to Manila last week in time for their July 1 domestic flights.

Leaving the Baguio camp was part of the Philippine Sports Commission’s belt-tightening measures due to the grappling effects of the pandemic.

The COVID-19 swab test results for the boxers came out negative.

Jogging and individual workouts at PhilSports, however, remain as the only limited exercises for the boxers as the National Capital Region remained under general community quarantine (GCQ) until July 15.

As soon as she comes home, Magno eyes to buckle down to work with the help of her former coaches in Iloilo, now under the more relaxed modified general community quarantine (MGCQ).

Magno is among the four Filipino Tokyo Olympics qualifiers so far along with fellow boxer Eumir Marcial, pole vaulter EJ Obiena and gymnast Caloy Yulo.