As the brackets for the Paris Games boxing competitions were revealed on Friday morning (Manila time), Hergie Bacyadan, Eumir Marcial, and Carlo Paalam faced different fates in their quests for Olympic glory.
Bacyadan, making his Olympic debut in the women’s 75kg category, drew a formidable opponent in her first bout.
He will face top seed Li Qian of China in the round of 16 on Wednesday, July 31.
Li’s impressive resume includes an Olympic bronze in Rio de Janeiro and silver in Tokyo. She also has gold medals from the Women’s World Boxing Championships, Asian Games, and Asian Amateur Boxing Championships.
Despite the daunting challenge, Bacyadan remains optimistic.
Overcoming Li would put him just one win away from securing an Olympic medal, a remarkable feat for a debutant.
Eumir Marcial and Carlo Paalam, medalists in the Tokyo Games, received first-round byes, advancing them directly to the round of 16.
Marcial, competing in the men’s minus-80kg category, will face Uzbekistan’s Turabek Khabibullaev on Wednesday.
The draw also sets Marcial up for a potential rematch with Ukraine’s Oleksandr Khyzhniak, who defeated him in a split decision during the Tokyo semifinals.
Back then, Marcial settled for bronze.
Winning twice in this weight class would assure Marcial of an Olympic medal.
Paalam, meanwhile, has moved up in weight after winning silver in the men’s minus-52kg category in Tokyo. He will take on Ireland’s Jude Gallagher in the men’s minus-57kg division.
Paalam’s experience and determination make him a formidable contender, and like Marcial, two victories would guarantee him a medal.
Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas will start their respective campaigns in the round of 32.
Villegas will be the first Filipino boxer in action, facing Morocco’s Yasmine Mouttaki on Monday, July 29, in the women’s minus-50kg category.
Petecio, aiming to improve on her silver from Tokyo, will take on India’s Jaismine Lamboria in the women’s minus-57kg division on Tuesday, July 30.
During the last Olympics, boxing finished with two silvers and one bronze.
