Filipino boxers finally broke through the semifinal barrier as Jay Brian Baricuatro and Flint Jara booked spots in the gold-medal matches of their respective divisions following a pair of convincing victories at the Chulalongkorn University Sports Center on Tuesday at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand.
Buoyed by the loud cheers from the Filipino crowd, which included members of Gilas Pilipinas Women, both Baricuatro and Jara dominated their bouts, assuring the Philippine boxing team of at least two more medals.
Baricuatro wasted little time asserting his dominance, scoring a first-round stoppage over Timor Leste’s Antonio da Silva in the men’s 48-kilogram division.
A pair of vicious hooks, following a booming counter right, forced the referee to stop the fight with five seconds left in the opening round.
“Nu’ng natamaan ako ng unang suntok niya, alam ko talagang may ilalamang ‘yung lakas ko sa kanya so prinessure ko na agad. Nakita ko sa mata niya na nagdadalawang-isip siya kung susuntok pa ba siya o hindi,” Baricuatro said after his bout.
(C) POC Media
Jara, competing in the 54kg class, went the distance with Singapore’s Ang Jin Yang, earning a unanimous 5-0 decision.
The 23-year-old slugger delivered a right straight that led to a standing eight count, then maintained relentless pressure to secure the win, unfazed by the cut he sustained in an earlier match.
“Gagawan namin ng paraan. Maghahanap talaga kami ng butas against sa Thai boxer kasi maliban sa magaling sila, talagang malakas din ‘yung judging nila eh. Kailangan ng mas convincing na panalo,” Jara said with a smile, looking ahead to his gold-medal bout against Thailand’s Saengphet Thanarat. Baricuatro will face Thai fighter Phlongaurai Thitiwat in the final.
Earlier in the day, the Philippine team saw two of its women’s boxers bow out in the semifinals.
Ofelia Magno fell 4-1 to Vietnam’s Ngo Ngoc Linh Chi in the women’s 48kg class, while Riza Pasuit was defeated 5-0 by Thai favorite Apisada Tantawa in the 60kg division.
Both losses secured bronze medals for the Filipinos, continuing the team’s streak of medals from earlier events, including Hergie Bacyadan, Nesthy Petecio, and Mark Ashley Fajardo.
Though disappointed, Pasuit remained gracious in defeat. “Siguro talo naman talaga ako, ‘di ko rin masasabi na panalo ako. Nandiyan naman ‘yung mga judge so kung ano ‘yung nakita nila sa laban, siguro ginawa ko naman na ‘yung best ko para manalo,” she said.
“Madaming nagsasabi na bago pa umakyat na may result na ‘yung laban pero hindi ko na iniisip iyon, laro pa rin tayo kasi pangit naman na sumurrender tayo nang hindi lumalaban.”
With their semifinal exits, Aira Villegas is now the only Filipina still in contention for gold. Meanwhile, the men’s side looks to Baricuatro, Jara, Eumir Marcial, and Weljon Mindoro to add more medals for the Philippines.
