Pinoy boxers start Tokyo Olympics bid in Jordan qualifiers

Seven Filipino boxers hope to get spots in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the 2020 Asia and Oceania boxing Olympic qualifying tournament in Amman, Jordan from March 3 to 11.

The four Pinoys and three Pinays, who are hoping to join top pole vaulter EJ Obiena and gymnast Carlos Yulo, were given an extra month to get their bodies in tiptop shape for the tournament, which was postponed due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in China.

At the forefront of the Philippine campaign are world women's featherweight champion Nesthy Petecio and world middleweight silver medalist Eumir Marcial. Both of them are seeded number 1 in their respective categories.

Other hopefuls include Carlo Paalam (flyweight 52kg), Ian Clark Bautista (featherweight 57kg), James Palicte (light welterweight 63kg), Irish Magno (flyweight 51kg) and Riza Pasuit (lightweight 60kg).

The Philippine team is led by men's head coach Ronald Chavez and women's head coach Reynaldo Galido, along with national coaches Roel Velasco and Elmer Pamisa and former Australian coach Don Abnett.

Bautista is the lone Filipino scheduled to fight on opening day against Japan's Hayato Tsutsumi at 11 p.m. (Manila time).

Meanwhile, Petecio will face the winner between Sri Lanka's Krismi Langkapurayalage and Indonesian Silpa Lau Ratu on Wednesday. Pasuit will also debut against Japanese Saya Hamamoto on the same day.

The Philippine team, who is fresh off a seven-gold medal haul in the recently-concluded Southeast Asian Games, hopes to outdone the two-man 2016 Rio Olympics boxing duo of Charly Suarez and Rogen Ladon.

"Let's give them all we got," ABAP president Ricky Vargas said.

A total of 221 athletes from 35 countries joined in the qualifiers.

Meanwhile, those who will fail to qualify in the tournament will have another chance in the World Qualifiers in Paris, France in May. —Ma. Angelica Garcia/JST, GMA News