Filipina Olympic boxers Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas have successfully punched their way up to the semifinals of their respective boxing divisions in the 2024 Paris Olympics, and are now assured of at least bronze medals after their respective division quarterfinal-round victories.
READ: Filipino Boxing Stars Petecio and Paalam Lead as Flag Bearers at Paris Olympics Opening
Petecio, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics silver medalist, secured a medal for the Philippines after winning the women’s boxing 57kg match against Chinese boxer Zichun Xu via a unanimous decision last August 4.
Team Philippines’ flag bearer at the Summer Games opening began her medal quest at the Paris 2024 Olympics on July 31, defeating Jaismine Lamboria from India via a unanimous decision. That win propelled her to advance to the round of 16.
On August 2, the Pinay boxer from Davao del Sur faced and got the better of Amina Zidani of France with a score of 4-1, securing her ticket to the quarterfinals.
Her semis bout against Julia Szeremeta of Poland is set on August 7 at 9:46 PM (August 8 at 3:45 AM, Philippine Standard Time).
Meanwhile, Villegas secured a guaranteed medal for the country on August 3 when she won the women’s boxing 50kg quarterfinal event against French boxer Wassila Lkhadiri with a score of 3-2.
She started her way up to the semis on July 29 by first defeating Yasmine Mouttaki of Morocco via a unanimous decision in the Round of 32.
The Pinay boxer from Tacloban City then outmatched Algeria’s bet Roumaysa Boualam in the Round of 16 last August 1, coincidentally her 29th birthday.
Villegas will face Buze Nas Cakiroglu of Turkey in the semifinal medal match on August 6 at 10:28 PM (August 7 at 4:18 AM in the Philippines).
As of this writing, Team Philippines is guaranteed four Olympic medals. Thanks to Filipino gymnast Carlos Yulo who captured two golds by dominating the men’s artistic gymnastics floor exercise and vault finals held on August 3 and 4.
RESULTS & SCHEDULES: Team Philippines Medal Hunt at Paris Olympics
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