Women and we men

Right on cue. As the world celebrates international day or month for women, Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas punched their tickets to Paris. Both women join Eumir Marcial in the hunt for boxing gold. Former world champion Petecio is hungrier. She narrowly missed the gold in Tokyo. But sports is tricky, treasonous even. No matter the preparation, training and sacrifice, muscle memory blurs, and the body betrays, on the day of competition. But in a good day, the first Filipina to win a boxing medal may turn her silver into gold. The man to take home the elusive boxing gold could be a woman.

Already in the Philippine stable is another woman, artistic gymnast Aleah Finnegan who switched federations to suit up for the Philippines then won two golds in the regional games. In a good day, Aleah could display medal-worthy artistry. Filipinas are graceful. But their grace graces platform of pageantry. They do well in a competition that objectify women in the guise of empowerment. Killjoy, its just entertainment with a huge market, especially in a country of comedy.

Carlos Edriel Yulo has better chances. The diminutive Filipino narrowly missed the podium in Tokyo. Gymnastics can either be glorious or disastrous. One slip or misstep and the medal slips and steps away. Before Tokyo, Yulo won gold in the worlds but flipped and flopped in the Olympics. Paris might be kinder to him.

EJ Obiena, the first Filipino qualifier, remains the brightest hope for a medal. But then no one will ever know for sure. EJ won gold indoors twice in a row only to bomb out of medal contention in the world indoor championships. In a bad day, he can be at his worst. But in a good day, he can be at his best, hopefully better than Armand Gustav Duplantis who belongs to a height of his own.

Conspicuously missing in the short list of qualifiers is the first Filipino, man or woman, to win Olympic gold. Hidilyn Diaz is quiet since she missed the Asiad podium. She must be somewhere lurking in qualifiers. Even if the strongest Filipina does not qualify, she already made herstory of lifting the entire nation to gold while the country rooted for men, only to end up short of golden.

A woman succeeded where many men failed, for almost a century. Just as half a century before, Billie Jean King shamed the man who belittled women s tennis. Or women themselves. Bobby Riggs described the women s game too inferior he could beat Billie Jean even if he was already 55. But King the queen blanked him in three straight sets in the herstoric Battle of the Sexes in 1973.

Most likely, Riggs and the sexists are still not convinced, including many women. Easy for Bobby to say the younger Billie had the age advantage. Sore losers never concede. Regardless, it was not about them. It was for all the men and women who believe men are superior to women. Exactly why a day, a month even, is devoted to celebrate women. The lesser known international day for men is hardly celebrated. No need. Everyday is men s day. Until they marry.