Villegas assured of boxing bronze
Advances to semifinals against Turkey’s Cakiroglu
PARIS, France — Deep into the night in a glorious Saturday, drew motivation from fallen teammates and made the day even brighter for Team Philippines with a great escape versus a home bet.
Her fate in the air after two rounds of a slam bang clash, Aira Villegas decided she won’t let her chances go away, braving on, fighting on and eventually winning one of the fiercest and closest fights in the 2024 Olympics boxing competition at the North Paris Arena.
Ms. Villegas took a 3-2 split decision versus France’s Wassila Lkhadiri in their 50kg quarterfinals bout, assuring herself of at least a bronze and putting a lock on a multi-medal show for Team Philippines in the Paris Games following the historic golden performance of gymnast Carlos Yulo in floor exercise earlier in the day.
The Tacloban native Ms. Villegas delivered a clutch third-round and advanced to the semifinals versus Turkey’s Buse Naz Cakiroglu with a shot at the gold-medal bout versus the winner of the other semi pitting Chinese Wu Yu and Kazakhstan Nazym Kyzaibay.
And Ms. Villegas did redeem herself from her loss to Ms. Lkhadiri in their previous fight, beating the Frenchwoman in her home turf and making it 2-0 for the Philippines versus France in head-on clashes in the boxing competition.
The day earlier, 57kg fighter Nesthy Petecio clipped another French in Amina Zidani, 4-1.
Ms. Villegas was a highly charged fighter while setting out for battle versus Ms. Lkhadiri.
She was inspired by Mr. Yulo’s great triumph in the gymnastics hall just hours earlier and was burning with a desire to make up for the losses of friends and teammates Eumir Marcial and Carlo Paalam.
Messrs. Marcial and Paalam were Tokyo Olympics medalists three years ago who failed to progress to the medal rounds here.
Mr. Marcial was stunned by Uzbekistan’s Turabek Khabibullaev in the Round of 16 while Mr. Paalam bid his medal hopes goodbye with a heartbreaking loss to Australia’s Charlie Senior in the men’s 57 kg quarterfinals.
A dark pall descended on the Filipinos in the boxing hall just as tears of joy flowed in the gymnastics arena on Mr. Yulo’s victory.
The day ended a big, big one for Team Philippines on Ms. Villegas’ victory. — Nelson Beltran