Paris-bound boxers promise to give best on their Olympic journey

Filipino boxers bound for the 2024 Paris Olympics promised to give their all-out on every match they will face in a bid to reach the final stretch of the tournament and replicate the medal haul collected by Pinoy punchers during the last Olympiad.

During the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, the country’s boxing delegation garnered one silver and two bronze medals courtesy of Nesthy Petecio, Eumir Marcial, and Carlo Paalam in what had been the most dominant performance of the country in Olympic boxing.

“Itong dala naming lima, pinaka-malakas ito na team. Hindi ako magbabanggit ng medalya kung anumang kulay siya. Basta itong lima, siguradong magde-deliver,” said Coach Ronald Chavez during the Philippine Sportswriter Association Forum, Tuesday.

The Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Richard Bachmann personally went to the forum and expressed his never-ending support to the athletes who are bound to Metz, France by June 22 and in Germany on August 1 for their preparations.

“Hindi naman talaga basta-basta yung makakalaban namin dun. Kaya sa akin kailangan ko pang mapunan kung ano yung kakulangan ko para prepare ako pagdating sa Paris,” said Hergie Bacyadan, a first-time Olympian.

One of the support the PSC will render to all the Paris-bound athletes, Olympics and Paralympic Games, is the conduct of the Invitational Golf Cup set to be held in Canlubang Golf and Country Club, this coming Friday, which is expected to be a gathering of personalities from various sports sectors.

“Lahat ng sponsors, major supporters, shareholders, celebrities po ang mga dadalo. We are not just confined within golfers, talagang lahat ng involved sa sports. Kaya napakaganda nitong event na ito,” Comm. Gaston stated.

Lawmakers, sports executives, members of the media, and business tycoons gave their all-out support for Filipino athletes by providing in-cash and in-kind support.

More than two million pesos is the projected cost to be garnered by the project to be given as additional support for Filipino athletes.

Friday’s golf showpiece will start registration by six o’clock in the morning, followed by a ceremonial and shotgun tee-off by 7:10 AM and 7:30 AM, respectively.

The event will be using the Molave Points System where the double-eagle is seven points, the hole-in-one is 6, the eagle 5, the birdie 4, par 3, bogey 2, and double-bogey 1.

Photo: Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Richard Bachmann and Comm. Matthew ‘Fritz’ Gaston pose for a photo opportunity with Filipina boxers Nesthy Petecio, Aira Villegas, and Hergie Bacyadan, along with officials of the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP), during the Philippine Sportswriter Association Forum.