Tokyo Olympics medalists Eumir Marcial and Carlo Paalam secured a favorable draw with first-round byes, signaling a good start for the Philippine boxing team’s quest for its first-ever Olympic boxing gold at the Paris Olympics.
Competing in the men’s 80kg division, Marcial will face Turabek Khabibullaev of Uzbekistan in the round of 16 while Paalam, now fighting in the 57kg category, will take on Ireland’s Jude Gallagher on Wednesday.
Marcial might face a potential rematch with Ukraine’s Oleksandr Khyzhniak, who defeated him in a split decision during their semifinal bout in Tokyo, where Marcial settled for a bronze medal.
The Zamboanga City native, boasting a 5-0 record as a professional boxer, earned his spot in Paris with a silver finish at the Hangzhou Asian Games last year.
The first-round bye gives both Paalam, who won silver in the 54kg category in Tokyo, and Marcial a strategic advantage.
They need only two wins to secure a medal and four victories to claim the elusive boxing gold.
In the women’s 75kg category, first-time Olympian Hergie Bacyadan also needs just two wins to guarantee a bronze due to a smaller pool of competitors.
However, she faces a formidable challenge against former world champion Li Qian of China in the round of 16 on Wednesday.
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Li, the top seed, has an impressive record, including an Olympic bronze in Rio 2016, a silver in Tokyo 2020, and gold medals in the Women’s World Boxing Championships, Asian Games, and Asian Amateur Boxing Championships.
Tokyo silver medalist Nesthy Petecio will also begin her bid on Wednesday as she fights Jaismine Lamboria of India in the round of 32.
Aira Villegas will make her Olympic debut early Monday morning against Yasmine Mouttaki of Morocco.
Despite not having won a gold medal, the Philippine boxing team has contributed significantly to the nation’s Olympic success, securing eight out of 12 total medals.
These include silver medals from Anthony Villanueva (1964), Mansueto Velasco (1996), Paalam, and Petecio (2020).
