As heartbreaking as it seemed, two-time Olympic boxing medalist Nesthy Petecio is moving on from her bronze-medal finish in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.

In fact, she has already set her sights on next year’s 20th Asian Games in Japan.

Shocked yet smiling after her 3-2 split loss to Indonesian rival Hasanah Huswatun, a result that dashed her bid for the top honor in the women’s 63kg event, the pride of Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur remained optimistic and grateful for the lessons gained throughout her SEA Games journey.

“Ang laban ko sa SEA Games 2025 ay maraming lessons na iniwan sa akin. Hindi man ito yung result na gusto ko, pero mas naging malinaw kung ano pa ang kailangan kong i-improve,” Petecio wrote on her social media post.

“Mas tutok na training, mas maayos na preparation, at mas solid na performance sa mga susunod na laban,” she added.

Petecio said she will be focusing on her recovery as she undergoes an eye surgery next year, a move that she thought would boost her performance in her future competitions.

Petecio has won most of the major tournaments across the globe, including World and Asian Championships. But above it all, her achievements were highlighted by her silver and bronze medals in the 2020 Tokyo and 2024 Paris Olympics, respectively.

But the Asian Games remain an unconquered battleground for Petecio. Since her 2014 debut in Incheon, South Korea, she has yet to produce a medal in the quadrennial continental joust.

Putting everything behind, the 5-foot-2 standout is gearing up for 2026, with the Asian Games firmly in her sights.

“Habang tinatapos ko ang 2025, iniiwan ko na lahat ng negativities at dinadala ko lang ang mga natutunan, motivation, at fighting spirit,” Petecio said.

“Sa 2026 papasok ako na may good vibes, new goals, at mas malinaw na paningin, aw! direction pala. Ready na ulit lumaban,” said Petecio. “Okay. Let’s go Asian Games 2026!” she added.