PH boxers dedicate SEAG triumph to late Ed Picson
Published May 15, 2023 03:49 am
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia—Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines (ABAP) President Ed Picson must be smiling proudly in heaven following the team’s successful stint in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games here.
*Carlo Paalam comes away with a gold medal in men's -54kg. (PSC/ SEAG media pool)*
This after 10 of the 12 fighters the association sent to the biennial meet were going home with medals, including four golds from Ian Clark Bautista, Carlo Paalam, Paul Julyfer Bascon and Nesthy Petecio. “I think Sir Ed would have been really happy with this performance,” said ABAP secretary general Marcus Manalo of their late president, who passed away last month. “Sabi ko nga sa mga boxers before we left, hindi naman sila nagkukulang sa motivation. If we could put up a performance that Sir Ed will be really proud of, yun sana ang ipakita natin, and I think they did naman,” he added. Aside from four golds, the team would also be bringing five silvers and one bronze, eclipsing its previous medal haul in Vietnam of three golds, one silver and five bronzes. Manalo said they were satisfied with the outcome especially since some of the boxers are first-timers in the biennial meet. Bascon, who ruled the men’s 60kg, was actually on his first SEAG stint and third international appearance, while men’s 67kg silver winner Norlan Petecio was in his first elite tournament. Marvin, for his part, was also coming off a three-year hiatus, but went home with the silver in the men’s 80kg. Manalo said they are using their fruitful SEAG campaign as a springboard to the crucial 19th Asian Games slated in September in China, where berths for the 2024 Paris Olympics are up for grabs. “Asian Games is the next big one. Of course, may elite tournament leading to that, but it’s the next big thing,” he said. “Obviously there are a lot of areas for improvement pa rin. We’ll keep on working on that. Marami kaming nakita na we will address aside from the tactical side, but we’ll definitely prepare for that.”
*Carlo Paalam comes away with a gold medal in men's -54kg. (PSC/ SEAG media pool)*
This after 10 of the 12 fighters the association sent to the biennial meet were going home with medals, including four golds from Ian Clark Bautista, Carlo Paalam, Paul Julyfer Bascon and Nesthy Petecio. “I think Sir Ed would have been really happy with this performance,” said ABAP secretary general Marcus Manalo of their late president, who passed away last month. “Sabi ko nga sa mga boxers before we left, hindi naman sila nagkukulang sa motivation. If we could put up a performance that Sir Ed will be really proud of, yun sana ang ipakita natin, and I think they did naman,” he added. Aside from four golds, the team would also be bringing five silvers and one bronze, eclipsing its previous medal haul in Vietnam of three golds, one silver and five bronzes. Manalo said they were satisfied with the outcome especially since some of the boxers are first-timers in the biennial meet. Bascon, who ruled the men’s 60kg, was actually on his first SEAG stint and third international appearance, while men’s 67kg silver winner Norlan Petecio was in his first elite tournament. Marvin, for his part, was also coming off a three-year hiatus, but went home with the silver in the men’s 80kg. Manalo said they are using their fruitful SEAG campaign as a springboard to the crucial 19th Asian Games slated in September in China, where berths for the 2024 Paris Olympics are up for grabs. “Asian Games is the next big one. Of course, may elite tournament leading to that, but it’s the next big thing,” he said. “Obviously there are a lot of areas for improvement pa rin. We’ll keep on working on that. Marami kaming nakita na we will address aside from the tactical side, but we’ll definitely prepare for that.”