Hergie Bacyadan (Photo courtesy of ABAP)
MANILA – Hergie Bacyadan quickly kissed their Paris Olympics hopes goodbye after falling prey to top seed Li Qian of China in the women's 75-kg. boxing event at the North Paris Arena on Wednesday.
The Tabuk-based pugilist, one of the boxers who now classify themselves as transgender, fell at the wrong end of a boxing clinic from Li.
Li, 4 inches taller than Bacyadan, turned to her height and reach advantage to outpoint the latter, especially in the first two rounds.
Bacyadan had some bright moments in Round 3 but even those were not enough to swing the judges' votes to them as Li got perfect 30s from all five judges en route to the unanimous decision win.
Bacyadan is the ninth Filipino athlete who was knocked out of medal contention and the second boxer to be eliminated after Eumir Marcial's shock loss earlier Wednesday. (PNA)
