By Pearl Gumapos
Filipina Boxer Nesthy Petecio, after beating taller opponent Italy’s Irma Testa on Saturday, is now set to advance to the women’s featherweight (54-58kg) gold-medal match in the Tokyo Olympics.
The final match will be held on Tuesday, August 3, 2021.
Petecio won via split decision of 4-1 after four judges gave her a score of 29-28 and one gave her 28-29.
Petecio will be competing in a championship match with the winner between Great Britain’s Karriss Artingstall and Japan’s Sena Irie.
Petecio’s win also makes her the first Filipino boxer to compete for the Olympic gold since Onyok Velasco at the 1996 Atlanta Games, where Velasco eventually won a silver medal.
Meanwhile, EJ Obiena is now advancing to the finals of the men’s pole vault event.
Obiena successfully attained 5.75 meters during the qualification round last Saturday morning and ensured a finish within the top 12 of the field.
In order to clinch a position in the top 12, the pole vault athletes must clear a qualification mark of 5.80 meters.
The championship round will be held on August 3 at 6:20 p.m.
As for boxer Eumir Marcial, the athlete is now advancing to the quarterfinals after scoring a knockdown versus Algerian Boxer Younes Nemouchi in less than three minutes.
Marcial won by referee stoppage during the opening round of the men’s middleweight round of 16.
The referee had to stop the match due to Nemouchi’s bleeding from a cut on the forehead.
This win places Marcial a win away from at least a bronze medal.
The quarter finals will be held on Sunday, August 1 where Marcial will be going against Armenian Arman Darchinyan. – rir
