OFF TO DAD. World champion Nesthy Petecio (2nd left) is flying home to Davao to train with her father Teodoro, a former boxer and with her brother Norlan as she seeks a last flight to the Tokyo Olympics that has been moved to July next year due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic. Petecio is seen here with fellow Philippine boxing team members and University of Baguio heads led by UB president Javier Herminio Bautista (3rd, left). (PNA file photo by Pigeon Lobien)
BAGUIO CITY – Almost nine months after seeing her family due to her busy schedule and the lockdown amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, world champion Nesthy Petecio is coming home.
“Makakauwi na rin (I’ll be finally coming home),” Petecio, a Baguio-based national team member and reigning (Amateur) International Boxing Association and Southeast Asian Games champion (SEAG) told the PNA.
Petecio said that she is returning to Davao to be with her family that will be her “inspiration” in getting the last flight to the postponed Tokyo Olympics after she was denied a seat last March in Amman, Jordan.
“Sila po talaga ang inspiration ko (They are really my inspiration),” said Petecio, who is waiting for her flight back home after nearly three months of inactivity due to the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) that prevented her from training.
“As much as I wanted to train during the lockdown, our neighbors asked us not to for fear that I could contract the disease,” she said.
Petecio said it will be her father Teodoro, a former boxer, who will be handling their training with her brother Norlan, who is also part of the Philippine boxing team.
“Kaya po ako uuwi para mas maganahan at mas maging 100 percent yung motivation (That is why I am going home so I will be more inspired and have a 100 percent motivation),” she added.
Petecio lost to arch-rival Irie Sena of Japan in the quarterfinals of the 2020 Asia and Oceana Boxing Qualification Tournament in the Jordan capital.
She was supposed to get one final chance in the Global Qualifiers in Paris, France supposedly last May but it was postponed until further notice due to the pandemic.
Filipino boxer Carlo Paalam also lost in Amman, Jordan but could still make it to the Tokyo games if he gets past his rivals in the Paris qualifiers.
Paalam won a gold medal in the last SEAG.
Female boxer Irish Magn has already qualified to the Tokyo Games, the first female pug to do so.
Magno won a silver medal in the 2019 SEAG hosted by the Philippines.
Last week, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) has told all athletes eyeing slots for the Olympics to renew their training, including weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, the 2016 Brazil silver medalist. (PNA)
