At A Glance
- Paris-bound boxers Nesthy Petecio and Hergie Bacyadan beam with pride as they represent the Philippines while carrying the rainbow flag on local and international stages.
Paris-bound boxers Nesthy Petecio and Hergie Bacyadan beam with pride as they represent the Philippines while carrying the rainbow flag on local and international stages.

Petecio, who, according to her, is competing in her final Olympic stint, dedicates her fight to the community where she is a proud LGBTQI+ member.
“Proud po ako maging member [ng LGBTQI+ community] at gaya ng sinabi ko dati inaalay ko rin po sa kanila ‘yong laban ko sa Tokyo,” Petecio stressed.
“Marami ako ngayong pinagaalayan lang laban ko rito sa Paris kasi parang ito na ‘yong parang final destination ng career ko,” she added.
The 32-year-old Tokyo Olympics silver medalist has been engaged with her partner Riza Geneblaza since 2022.
Bacyadan is thrilled as she makes her Olympic debut next month.
“Proud po na napabilang kami sa dito sa gaganaping Paris Olympics [at] syempre kung gaano po kami ka-proud sa sarili namin ganun din kami ka-proud sa kanila,” said the Kalinga native.
“Siyempre parang kami rin ‘yong tinitignan nila na nandun para mag-perform ng maayos,” she added.
Petecio (women's featherweight) and Bacyadan (women's middleweight) join three other boxers in Aira Villegas (women's flyweight), Carlo Paalam (men's featherweight), and Eumir Marcial (men's middleweight) along with 10 other Filipino athletes in the French capital.
The 2024 Summer Games is set from July 26 until Aug. 11.