Pugs try to better Doha haul

GUANGZHOU - They checked in at the Athletes Village without much fanfare Saturday night but in their hands could come the precious medals for Team Phl in the 16th Asian Games.

The six-strong Philippine boxing team is in town, raring to fight and hoping to surpass the country’s two-gold haul in Doha, Qatar in 2006.

“We’ll be happy to win one gold but we believe we have gold medal prospects in Annie Albania, the Saludar brothers (Victorio and Rey) and Charly Suarez. The two others (Wilfredo Lopez and Delfin Boholst) can pull off a surprise,” said boxing president Ricky Vargas.

“They’ve got international exposures and other things that they need. They can well deliver,” Vargas added.

The draw will be a big factor, and the team hopes to get the good breaks in the draw today.

The Asiad boxing competition gets under way tomorrow with the initial round in men’s 52kg, 91kg, 56kg and 64kg at the Foshan Gymnasium.

“Chinese boxers have improved and they would be tough opponents. But we’re hopeful we’ll bring home a gold,” said secretary general Patrick Gregorio.

Boxing delivered in the last Asiad with Joan Tipon and Violito Payla topping their respective weight categories and Godfrey Castro and Genebert Basadre bagging bronze medals.

But the performance of the Filipino boxers has since declined, prompting the new ABAP leadership to look for new talents from the grassroots.

“We have fresh talents and we hope them to make a Cinderella showing here,” said Vargas.

Albania, 26, is a veteran fancied to have a good shot at the gold medal in the women’s flyweight category.

She won the silver in the 2008 World Championship and the gold in the 2009 Asian Indoor Games.