Nesthy Petecio isn’t one to dwell on what-ifs as she wholly accepted the judges’ decision that ultimately led to a silver medal finish in the women’s featherweight boxing tilt of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Tuesday at the Kokugikan Arena.
The decorated Filipina bowed to familiar foe Sena Irie via unanimous decision. Four members of the jury submitted 29-28 scorecards in favor of the hometown bet as the fifth judge, Manuel Vilarino of Argentina, saw the bout 30-27 for Irie.
“Sa akin po kung ano ‘yung desisyon, ‘yun na po ‘yun,” she told the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum. “Siyempre may kanya-kanya tayong opinyon, pero sa’kin po kung anuman po yung naging desisyon kanina, tinanggap ko po.
“Masasaktan lang po tayo nang masasaktan ‘pag ‘yun lagi po ang iniisip natin. ‘Di po tayo makaka-move on po sa next na gusto nating mapuntahan.”
Petecio, though, admitted that she and her camp felt like they succeeded in the third round that saw her pick up where she left off from the previous canto, starting out strong with a flurry of combinations.
The former AIBA world champion forced a virtual tie entering the match’s final three minutes after failing to get the judges’ nod, 0-5, in the first round.
“Especially po sa third round, akala po talaga namin lahat, lamang kami,” the native of Davao del Sur said. “‘Yung mga coaches ko, ‘yun po talaga ang alam nila.
“Kahit ako po, ‘yun po ang iniisip ko, lamang po ako. Tapos noong sa decision na, ‘pag sinabing unanimous, ngumiti na po ako kasi alam kong okay, alam ko na kung saan po mapupunta,” she added.
The 29-year-old confessed, too, that Irie’s clinching majority of the match also took a toll on her as she could not set up her offense the way she wanted.
“Malaking epekto po sa akin ‘yung niyayakap niya ako kasi hindi ako makaalis kaagad — hindi ako makaalis tapos babalik kaagad,” she said.
“Siyempre mas nakakapagod po ‘yung yayakapin ka po, sa totoo lang, kesa makipag-suntukan. ‘Yun po ‘yung totoo, mas nakakawala po ng lakas ‘yun,” added the one-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist,
But then again, Petecio doesn’t want to look back on what could have been. She only has nothing but respect for Irie, whom she has faced thrice in the past, including the 2019 AIBA Women’s World Championships where she won.
“Pero siyempre po, proud at salute ako kay Sena po. Sobrang ano din na bata ‘yun, kumbaga gustong-gusto niya din manalo,” she said about the 20-year-old Japanese.
“Parehas naman po kami gusto manalo po, kaya grabeng saludo din po ako sa kanya.”
And the most important for her, really, is the fact that she is an Olympic silver medalist, indeed a feat so historic.
“Sobrang proud at blessed po talaga ako,” said Petecio, who now aims for gold in the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
“Kinapos lang po tayo sa gold, pero sabi nga po nila, silver man ‘to, pero shining like gold nga daw po.”
