Petecio keen on achieving Olympic golden dream

MANILA, Philippines — Two-time boxing Olympic medalist Nesthy Petecio recently stressed she isn’t hanging up her boxing gloves and giving up on her dream in striking gold in the Los Angeles edition of the biggest sports stage on the planet.

“Walang hihinto hangga't walang ginto,” said Petecio during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Awards Night at the Manila Hotel last Monday, January 27.

But while Petecio’s heart and mind are willing, her body may not as the Tokyo silver and Paris bronze winner isn’t getting any younger. Thus as she will be 35 by the time the next Olympics would be staged in Los Angeles.

There is also another concerning hindrance to Petecio’s bid — if LA will have boxing in its calendar at all.

Petecio, however, is optimistic there will be boxing in LA.

“Ako, sobrang 100% ako na me Olympics talaga,” she said.

Despite it, Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines Secretary-General Marcus Manalo said Petecio would be given a chance.

“We’ll see and we’ll take it a year at a time and think of the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand this year first,” said Manalo.

“The most important thing is she must be with the national team and prepare early,” he added.