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Petecio, Villegas punch Olympic berths

Sports | Boxing

Petecio, Villegas punch Olympic berths

By Kristel Satumbaga-Villar

At A Glance

Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas punched their tickets to the 2024 Paris Olympics after outpointing their respective rivals in the World Qualification Tournament in Busto Arsizio, Italy on Monday, March 11 (Tuesday in Manila).

Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas punched their tickets to the 2024 Paris Olympics after outpointing their respective rivals in the World Qualification Tournament in Busto Arsizio, Italy on Monday, March 11 (Tuesday in Manila).

Nesthy Petecio, left, and Aira Villegas join four other Filipino qualifiers to the 2024 Paris Olympics. (File Photo)

Petecio booked a return trip to the Games after scoring a 4-1 decision over a heftier Esra Yildiz Kahraman of Turkey for a Top 2 finish in the women’s 57kg.

The Tokyo Olympics silver medalist dictated the first two rounds and held her ground in the third to earn a slim 29-28 win from four judges.

Villegas also escaped from the clutches of Bulgarian Genadieva Zlatislava Chukanova via unanimous decision to finish into the Top 4 of the women’s 50kg.

It was a tough win for Villegas, who earned two of the judges’ nods while the remaining three giving the bout a 28-all tie.

The three judges then made a vote in favor of the Filipino pug as per the boxing rulebook for the Paris Games.

With the feats, Team Philippines now has six Olympic qualifiers that include boxer Eumir Marcial, pole vaulter EJ Obiena and gymnasts Carlos Yulo and Aleah Finnegan.

Marcial clinched an Olympic ticket in September last year after capturing the silver medal in the men’s 80kg.

Boxers still have a chance to qualify to the Games for one last time in May through the second World Olympic Qualification to be held in Bangkok, Thailand.

A total of eight Filipinos composed of Rogen Ladon, Carlo Paalam, Mark Ashley Fajardo, Ronald Chavez Jr., John Marvin, Claudine Veloso, Riza Pasuit and Hergie Bacyadan, made exits in their respective weight classes in this Italy tilt.

Related Tags

Aira Villegas Nesthy Petecio Paris Olympics

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