Could've, should've, would've. Or is it? Aira Villegas and Nesthy Petecio lost their respective semifinal bout, settling for bronze medals. Their loss ended the Philippine captain in the 2024 Summer Olympics. The Philippines finished with two gold medals and two bronze medals, which was an improvement from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. It's a good time to celebrate, but it should be back to the drawing board soon. We don't want to end up winless in the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Aira Villegas bowed to Buse Naz Çakıroğlu in the semifinals of the women's 50 kilogram division. It was an impressive debut for Villegas, a native of Tacloban, but boxing fans knew whom the Pinay boxer was up to. Çakıroğlu won the silver medal (in the 50 kilogram division) in Tokyo and the gold medal in the 2022 International Boxing Federation (IBA) Women's World Boxing Championship in Istanbul.
The Olympic gold medal is the only thing missing in the Turkish boxer's medal collection, and she will meet Wu Yu of China. The Chinese ace boxer is the reigning world champ in this division, so the gold-medal bout would be one of the must see bouts, or matches, on August 9.
Nesthy Petecio won another Olympic medal, and she shouldn't be disappointed about it. No Filipino boxer won two Olympic medals until Petecio came along. Petecio, a native of Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur, had experience on her side. However, 20-year-old Julia Szeremeta dominated their semifinal bout or that was how the judges saw it.
Some wondered if the Polish boxer would have a better chance to upset Lin Yu-ting in the finals. The Taiwanese boxer won her semifinal bout, but Esra Yıldız, her semifinal opponent, didn't hide her displeasure. The Turkish boxer crossed her arms, a reference to her Taiwanese boxer's disqualification in the 2023 IBA Women's World Championships. The finals, which is scheduled on August 10, will be talked about in the months to come, if not the years to come.
IBA refused to divulge the details of the failed test, which the International Olympic Committee (OIC) didn't follow at all. Those who have been following this news are betting that Lin Yun-ting won't participate in the next edition of the Women's World Boxing Championships regardless of the result. The disqualification created ripples, and it should affect women’s boxing in the next few years. Stay tuned.
Aira Villegas should enjoy her break and relish the financial rewards that she would get (after winning the bronze medal). The next edition of the Women's World Boxing Championships is likely to be held two years from now, and the Association of Boxing Alliance of the Philippines (ABAP) would do the sport a huge favor if they would help Villegas prepare for this event. Reaching the semifinals should give the Leyteno a good chance of being seeded in the 2028 Summer Olympics. We can't rely on the luck of the draw anymore.
On the other hand, the Paris Olympics is likely Petecio's final appearance on the international stage. The Davaoeno is feeling her age, her eyesight not sharp as it used to be. Expect a younger Pinay boxer to take her place in the 57 kilogram division. ABAP might introduce her in the 2025 Southeast Asian Games (in Thailand).
Teodoro Petecio, Nesthy's father and former coach, is proud of his daughter's bronze medal.
"Proud na proud ako kahit bronze 'yun. Tumatak din sa kasaysayan na isang Pinay, dalawang ulit naging Olympian boxer," he told the media.
("I'm very proud even though it's bronze. It also made a mark in history as a Filipina, a two-time Olympian boxer," he told the media.)
Pinoy boxing fans would miss Petecio.
Kellie Harrington of Ireland defended her Olympic title in the 60 kilogram division, overwhelming Yang Wenlu of China. It was an impressive victory for the Irish veteran boxer, as Wenlu won the gold medal in the 2022 Asian Games. Herreira prevailed over Beatriz Ferrerira of Brazil in the semifinals, a grudge rematch of the gold-medal bout in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Harrington joined Nicola Adams and Claressa Shields as the only female boxers to win two Olympic gold medals. It was a perfect ending to her outstanding amateur career.
“It gives hope to all these young kids, all these teenagers, it gives hope to them,” she said afterwards. “But this one was for me!"
See you at the 2026 IBA Women's World Boxing Championships!
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