“Walang hinto hangga’t walang ginto” – This has been the driving mantra of Nesthy Petecio, who fell just short of gold in the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
The 32-year-old boxer from Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur, is on a determined quest to achieve her long-held dream, and she remains firmly on track.
Petecio’s journey in the women’s featherweight (57 kg) division at Paris 2024 has been nothing short of impressive. With two decisive victories under her belt, she has advanced to the quarterfinals, continuing her pursuit of gold.
In the Round of 32, Petecio faced Jaismine Lamboria of India, a 2021 Asian Championships bronze medalist, and delivered a commanding 5-0 win.
The Round of 16 saw her overcoming the home crowd and Amina Zidani of France, the 2023 World Championships bronze medalist and European Games champion, with a 4-1 score.
These performances have showcased Petecio’s skill and resolve, further cementing her status as a medal contender.
The women’s featherweight division is highly competitive, with several top contenders having already been eliminated.
World No. 1 and reigning world champion Irma Testa of Italy fell to Xu Zichun of China in the Round of 32.
In the Round of 16, second seed Tina Rahimi was ousted by Poland’s Julia Szeremeta, third seed Zidani was defeated by Petecio, and 2023 World Championships silver medalist Karina Ibragimova of Kazakhstan was knocked out by Puerto Rico’s Ashleyann Lozada.
The quarterfinals promise more drama as top seed Lin Yuting of Chinese Taipei – a two-time World Championships gold medalist – faces off against world No. 4 Svetlana Staneva of Bulgaria.
The winner will advance to the semifinals against the victor of the match between fourth seed Jucielen Romeu of Brazil and Turkey’s Esra Yıldız, a potential bronze medal contender.
Petecio will go head-to-head with Xu on Sunday for a chance to reach the semifinals.
Xu, who also defeated Testa in a surprising upset, secured her place in the quarterfinals with a split decision victory over Valeria Arboleda of Colombia.
The match holds special significance for Petecio, who previously defeated Testa in the semifinals of the Tokyo Olympics.
With over 100 bouts in her career, Petecio has the advantage of extensive experience compared to the 28-year-old Xu, who has only 21 bouts under her belt.
Both pugilists previously competed in the Asian Games, where Petecio lost to Lin and Xu was defeated by Parveen Hooda of India.
Analyzing their previous opponents reveals Petecio’s superior track record. She has defeated seven top-20 featherweight fighters and secured a victory over Yıldız, ranked 20th in the world, during the 2024 Olympic Qualifier semifinals.
Petecio understands the gravity of her upcoming bout against Xu.
A win will not only propel her to the semifinals but also set up a potential clash with Lozada or Szeremeta, both of whom Petecio has the capability to defeat.
If Petecio continues her exceptional form from the quarterfinals, she stands a strong chance of overcoming her Chinese rival and securing another guaranteed bronze for the Philippines.
