PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino congratulated Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas for qualifying for the Paris Olympics and at the same time encouraged other Filipino athletes to continue with their Olympic dream.
“My heartfelt congratulations to Nesthy and Aira, they deserve to be in Paris,” said Tolentino, who was at the stands cheering the Filipino boxers hoarse at the Maria Piantanida Sports E-Work Arena in Busto Arsizio, Italy.
“And to our athletes who have yet to qualify, and those who missed Paris here, never say never!” he said. “You still have all the chances to make it to the Olympics.”
Tolentino’s charm with lady luck further reverberated as the world celebrates Women’s Month.
“It’s a good timing because we are celebrating Women’s Month in March … imagine two women made it to the Olympics,” he said. “I’m really proud of Nesthy and Aira.”
Petecio will go after the gold medal that eluded her in Tokyo 2020 after winning her women’s featherweight semifinal bout, 4-1, against Turkey’s Esra Yildiz, while Villegas went 5-0 over Bulgaria’s Zlatislava Chukanova in her women’s flyweight quarterfinal assignment to earn her Paris ticket.
Tokyo Olympics men’s featherweight silver medalist Carlo Paalam, light welterweight Mark Ashely Fajardo and women’s middleweight Hergie Bacyadan still have a chance in the second and final Paris qualifier in Bangkok from May 23 to June 3.
Petecio and Villegas are joining fellow boxer Eumir Felix Marcial, pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena and gymnasts Carlos Yulo and Aleah Finnegan in Paris.