Paalam, Petecio eye tickets to Paris

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine boxing team, spearheaded by Tokyo Olympics medalists Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio, is on the long, winding road to Paris where fellow Olympian medalist Eumir Felix Marcial awaits.

And Paalam, an Olympic silver medalist, was the first to take that path to glory as he hurdled his opening-round assignment in the Boxam Elite Tournament in La Nucia, Spain Tuesday.

It came at the expense of Mexican Miguel Fernando Vega in a 4-1 result that catapulted the proud son of Cagayan de Oro straight to the quarterfinals of the men’s -57-kilogram event.

There, he would battle Cuban Ewart Andres Marin Hernandez, a 4-1 victor over Frenchman Samuel Kistohurry, in this meet that the Filipino boxers are using in their Paris Olympics thrust.

Marcial, now a pro boxer, earned a ticket to the Paris Games with his silver medal finish in the Hangzhou Asian Games last October.

Also in search of it was young and promising Mark Ashley Fajardo, a 19-year-old pug from Cebu who outclassed Yassine Arfa of Belarus, 5-0, in marching to the second round of the men’s 64.5kg class.

He will face off with England’s Cameron McKay.

Petecio, a silver winner in Tokyo like Paalam, has yet to see action but should come in with all her full might when she tangles with France’s Sthelyne Grosy in the women’s 57kg division.

Also entered were Rogen Ladon (men’s 51kg), Ronald Chavez, Jr. (men’s 71kg), Aira Villegas (women’s 50kg), Riza Pasuit (women’s 60kg) and Hergie Bacyadan (women’s 75kg).