Bacyadan, sumuko kay Chinese veteran Li sa Olympics

ni Gerard Arce / MC @Sports | July 31, 2024

Photo: ONE Sports

Nabigo rin si Hergie Bacyadan at natalo sa unanimous decision laban kay top-seeded Chinese Li Qian pero aniya wala siyang pinagsisihan sa kanyang kauna-unahang t Olympic campaign.

“I’m happy for this experience … that I was able to compete in the Olympics,” ayon sa 29-anyos na si Bacyadan. Si Bacyadan, 29, ay dating inferior boxer sa women’s 75-kg round of 16 bout laban kay 5-foot-11 Li na ginamit ang five-inch height advantage at karanasan ng 34-year-old na hawak ang silver at bronze medals mula sa Tokyo 2020 at Rio 2016.

“She’s very experienced,” ani Bacyadan, ang ikalawa sa limang Pinoy boxers na umeksit sa Olympics makaraang kinapos din si Eumir Felix Marcial kontra Uzbekistan. “I have the courage and I tried, but I lack the exposure,” aniya. “I was able to take her punches but she’s really an experienced fighter.”

Samantala, tuloy ang kampanya ng Pilipinas sa Paris Olympics sa kabila ng emosyonal na pagtatapos ng laban ni Eumir Felix Marcial, Martes ng gabi. “Full speed ahead,” ayon kay Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino kahapon. “The campaign for medals, especially gold, is hot on track.”

Isinalarawan ni Tolentino na ang naramdaman ni Marcial ay isang matinding dagok bagamat kargado ng sakripisyo at dedikasyon ang bronze medalist sa Tokyo 2020 bago magtungo ng Paris.

“I know how painful it is for Eumir to bear the loss,” saad ni Tolentino. “We feel his disappointment and frustration, but it’s not the end all for him.” Ang bronze ni Marcial sa Tokyo ay nasa middleweight na dibisyon na inalis ng Paris.

Olympic Update: Villegas, masusubok kontra Algeria sa Round-of-16

ni MC @Sports | July 31, 2024

Masusubok na sa kanyang Olympic debut si Aira Villegas laban kay Roumaysa Boualam ng Algeria sa Round of 16 ng women’s 51 kg boxing category ngayong Biyernes.

Ang 28-anyos na Filipina boxer ay unang kumomanda ng 5-0 victory kontra kay Morocco’s Yasmine Moutakki, para ibigay sa Pilipinas ang malakas na simula sa kampanya ng boksing.

Gayunman, mabigat ang kanyang makakasagupa. Ang 29-anyos na si Boualam ay beterana na sa dalawang Olympic games, isang highly decorated boxer na may hawak na gold medal nang magwagi sa 2023 African Boxing Olympic Qualification Tournament, ilang beses na African championships, sa 2019 African Games, at sa 2023 Arab Games.

Siya rin ang pride ng kanilang bansa dahil unang babaeng boxer na kakatawanin ang Algeria sa Olympics. Sa kabila ng mabigat na laban, naniniwala si Villegas na ang kanyang nakaraang sparring sessions kay Boualam ang magpapalamang sa kanya.

"I've sparred with her before, but of course, an actual match is different," sabi ni Villegas sa wikang Tagalog. "We need to study her again and train hard."

Nainspira ang Tacloban City native sa panalo ng kanyang teammate, Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Nesthy Petecio na nakatiyak na rin ng 5-0 win kontra India's Jaismine Lamboria. Ang laban nina Villegas at Boualam ay 12:16 a.m. sa Biyernes oras sa Pilipinas.

"Salamat PBBM sa dasal mo para sa Olympic athletes"

ni MC @Sports | July 23, 2024

Ikinagalak ng buong Philippine sports world na naging bahagi ng State of the Nation address ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. kahapon ang pagsuporta sa palakasan lalo na ang kampanya ng 28 Filipino athletes sa Paris 22 sa Olympics at 6 na atleta sa Paralympics na magsisimula sa Biyernes sa French capital.

“Thank you, PBBM, for your kind wishes for the athletes at the Olympics,” ayon kay Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino. 

“It’s definitely inspiring and it’s an extreme boost to the morale not only to our athletes competing in Paris, but to the entire Philippine sports,” dagdag ni Tolentino na paroroon sa Paris  ngayong Martes para agapayan ang Philippine Olympic campaign.

“This maybe exaggerated but the President putting emphasis on sports in a very important event in his administration—something that’s never been done by past Presidents in memory— gives us the goose bumps,” dagdag ni Tolentino, bilang POC head ay  personal na mungkahi niya sa  Malacañang, kay President Marcos na ibilang ang sports agenda sa kanyang SONA.

“As we speak, 28 of our finest athletes are competing in Paris now for the glory of the Philippines, drawing appreciation through a rousing clap from his audience. “Let us wish them well and the best of luck.”

It’s not only the Paris Olympics campaign that was in President Marcos’s SONA, but also grassroots sports.

“Grassroots and sports of all programs are back, nailunsad na namin ang Palarong Pambansa after three years na pagkakatigil nito dahil sa pandemya,” aniya. 

Idinagdag ni Pangulong Marcos: “We will continue to support these health enhancing sports programs. 

“We are very grateful to the President for showing his love and concern for sports,” ani Tolentino. “And we, at the POC and Philippine sports as a whole, continuously thank his Administration for relentlessly supporting sports through his financial support.”