Pugs rarin’ to go for elusive Olympic berths

GUANGZHOU–After a short but arduous trip to this booming Chinese city, the RP Alaxan FR Boxing team revs up for the China Unicom, the second Asian Olympic qualifying tournament for the Athens Olympics, for the chase of at least three more berths in the August quadrennial Games.

Light flyweight Harry Tañamor, bantamweight Ferdie Gamo, featherweight Ruel Laguna and welterweight Genebert Basadre are all raring to go into action in an all-out bid to reinforce the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines’ bid for the country’s first ever Olympic gold medal.

Hoping to join compatriots Violito Payla, Romeo Brin and Christopher Camat in the ABAP quest, the four simonpures are expected to pass the general medical examination and make the weight during the official weigh-in Friday at the sprawling Phoenix Hotel here where the draw for the tournament will be held later in the afternoon.

"This is it. The boys are in high spirits and are raring to give our country more honors as well as more chances for its first gold medal in the Olympics. They are all saddled up and are just waiting for the competitions to start," ABAP president Manny Lopez, also the Federation of Asian Amateur Boxing (FAAB) secretary-general and a member of the 15-man jury here, said.

"The boys are high in morale and are upbeat on their chances. And although our coaches– George Caliwan and Boy Velasco – are wary of the boxers from the former members of the USSR as well as those from South and North Koreas and Thailand, I am optimistic that our boxers will do good here. As I have said before, these boxers have got what it takes to be in the Olympics," Lopez added.

The team, which includes referee/judge Jesus San Esteban, was culled from the national training pool, which has been training since early last year under the aegis of Alaxan Fast Relief, Pacific Heights, Accel and the Philippine Sports Commission.

The competitions, which will result in 20 Athens Olympics qualifiers (gold and silver medalists in the light fly, flyweight, bantam, feather, lightweight, light welter, welter, middleweight and light heavyweight divisions and gold medalists in the heavy and super heavy classes), start late Friday night at the Tianhe Gymnasium here

The tournament has attracted 195 boxers in 11 weight divisions from 33 Asian nations.