Boxers target Olympics entry via Asian Games

MANILA, Philippines — For the first time, aspiring boxers can now qualify straight to the Olympics via the Asian Games.

And Filipino pugs are expected to pounce on that rare opportunity.

“It’s like hitting two birds with one stone,” said Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines executive director Marcus Manalo during yesterday’s online Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum.

“We get to prepare for the Asian Games and qualify to the Olympics,” he added referring to the 19th edition of the quadrennial event slated Sept. 23 to Oct. 8 in Hangzhou, China.

In the past, the pathways for the Olympics for boxers are the continental championships or specific qualifying meets but never the Asiad.

But the International Olympic Committee (IOC) made the drastic change recently and allowed the Asian Games to be part of the qualification process.

While there is no information yet on how many 2024 Paris Games slots will be made available, Manalo said they would send in the country’s best team that may include Tokyo Olympics silver winners Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam and bronze medalist Eumir Marcial.

To make it happen, national team coach Don Abnett said they have started preparations early in Baguio City.