Paris Olympics Qualifying: BANGKOK LAST RESORT FOR PH BOXERS

It’s not over yet. The boxers who failed to earn trip ticket to Paris in the just-ended qualification in Busto Arsizio, Italy still have the chance to make it in the last qualifying in Thailand on May 23 to June 3.

“They have to pass the qualifying in Thailand to join Felix Eumir Marcial, Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas,” said ABAP secretary general Marcus Manalo in interview after the delegation returned to the country from Italy.

Of the ten aspirants, only Petecio and Villegas made it to Paris the eight boxers, including Tokyo silver medalist Carlo Paalam and fellow SEA Games gold medalist and 2016 Brazil Olympian Rogen Ladon failed to make it.

“Mayroon pang pagasa makalaro sa Paris. The Bangkok tournament is their last chance,” stressed Manalo standing beside women coach and 1996 Atlanta Olympian and Asian Games gold medalist Reynaldo Galido.

The qualification window closes on June 30 before the Paris Summer Games commences in July. Marcial became the first boxer to book trip ticket to Paris by winning silver in the Asian Games in China.

“Kailangan maka qualify pa ang iba natin mga boxers to have good chances win the elusive gold,” sabi ni Manalo.

Like they did in Spain, the boxers set up training camp in the US Training Center in Denver, Colorado and compete in tournament on April 14-21.

The boxers return to the country before going to Thailand for another two weeks training camp and fight local tournament in Bangkok. “To be honest mayroon mga under evaluation pa kasi hindi naman lahat kailangan ipadala sa Thailand. We want our coaches to focus on the boxers who have good chances of qualifying” explained Manalo.

“We don’t have a final lineup yet. We’ll focus on quality than quantity going to the qualifiers,” ani Manalo. Already assured are Carlo Paalam, Rogen Ladon, and former World Vovinam champion Hergie Bacyadan.

Paalam suffered minor injury in his fight against Andrey Bonilla where the Mexican wrestled and slammed the Filipino to the canvas.

“Mabuti minor injury. Kong baga sa paa natapilok lang. Wala naman tear at wala naman fracture. So, he’s good to go to the next qualifier,” said Manalo on the injury of former scavenger turned millionaire from Cagayan de Oro City.

Boxing won four silvers and four bronzes. Up to now, gold still elusive to the boxers. Manalo hopes the boxers collar the coveted gold in the year the Philippines celebrates its 100 years participation in the Olympic since 1924 in Paris and David Nepomuceno became the first Filipino to compete in the 400m .

Still no goodbye for 2020 Tokyo Olympic Silver medalist Carlo Paalam.