Filipina boxer Nesthy Petecio may have been denied of winning the gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics, but that wouldn't stop her from aiming for another shot at the 2024 Paris Games.
Petecio, 29, settled with a silver medal following a unanimous decision loss to Sena Irie of Japan in the women’s featherweight category finals bout Tuesday, August 3 at the Kokugikan Arena.
Petecio said that she looks up to Filipina weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, who earned a silver medal in her sport during the 2016 Rio Olympics in Brazil but moved on and gave the country’s first gold medal in the Olympics by ruling the 55-kilogram in women’s category.
“Si Hidi (Diaz), silver siya sa Rio, nag-gold siya dito. Bakit ba hindi ko subukan,” Petecio said during a special Philippine Sportswriter Association (PSA) online forum Tuesday afternoon, August 3.
“Malay mo sa Paris, hindi lang silver, makuha ko yung gold (medal). Sikap lang palagi.”
Petecio said that she is also looking forward to representing the country in the Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam and the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China both set next year.
The 31st edition of the SEA Games was supposed to be played later this year but because of the COVID-19 situation in Vietnam, the host has decided to postpone it and instead stage it early next year.
Meanwhile, the Asian Games is scheduled Sept. 10 to 25.
By the time she hopefully qualifies to the Paris Olympics, Petecio will be 32. A native of Santa Cruz in Davao del Sur, Petecio said she knows she still has the power with her punches.
“Kaya pa,” said Petecio, a jolly person outside the squared circle but a deadly fighter for Team Philippines.