RP sends 5 pugs to world youth am

MANILA, Philippines - Michael Delorino was added to the Philippines’ five-man lineup competing in the 16th World Youth Amateur Boxing Championships as a late replacement for injured lightweight simonpure Robin Palileo and is now in Baku, Azerbaijan, for the qualifiers to determine 44 fighters advancing to the first Youth Olympics in Singapore on Aug. 14-26.

Delorino, 17, almost didn’t make it. He was recalled from the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) training camp in Baguio last weekend when Palileo, a full-blooded Filipino whose family migrated to Australia when he was two, injured his left shoulder during a sparring session. With no passport to show, Delorino rushed to Manila and applied for a travel document last Monday.

ABAP executive director Ed Picson appealed to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to fast-track the issuance of Delorino’s passport which was released less than 12 hours before the delegation’s departure last Tuesday midnight. DFA undersecretary Sonny Conejos and assistant secretary Jaime Ledda of Consular Affairs facilitated the process.

“Michael was recruited to the national pool barely a month ago,” said Picson who is with the team in Baku. “We spotted Delorino at the National Open in Puerto Princesa this year. Although he lost to eventual gold medalist Edillo Abrea of Maasin, Michael was chosen to go to Baku because of a more impressive showing in training. Abrea is also now with the national pool.”

Delorino, one of six children, dropped out of high school after one year to concentrate on boxing with Gov. Raul Daza’s team under coach George Caliwan in Catarman, Northern Samar. He will reenroll in Baguio.

Delorino was initially thumbed down to participate in Baku. “He was rejected because he was not officially registered as a reserve,” said Picson. “I filed an urgent request for reconsideration. I pointed out that the spirit of the ‘reserve’ rule should be taken into consideration. The rule is meant to prevent deception through last-minute substitutes. In this case, with young boys involved, there could hardly be an advantage taken by substituting one boxer for another. I was later informed that organizers approved our request and allowed Michael to fight.”

The draw for the 11 weight divisions will be held tomorrow and hostilities begin Monday with the finals set May 3. There are 532 fighters from more than 100 countries expected to gather in Baku bidding to earn tickets for Singapore. Only the four medalists (gold, silver and two bronzes) in each weight class will advance to the first Youth Olympics.

Palileo, 17, hurt his left shoulder during a sparring session at the ABAP gym in the Rizal Memorial complex last Friday. His foot was accidentally stepped on by a sparmate and he crumpled to the canvas, using his left hand to break the fall. Palileo heard “something pop” when he went down. The next day, he couldn’t even raise his left arm. MRI results showed swollen tendons and Palileo, now staying with relatives in Manila, is being booked for an examination by Dr. Bayento. It is not certain if he will stay in Manila or return to Australia where he trains with 1970 Asian Games gold medalist Ric Fortaleza.

“Michael isn’t too tall for a lightweight but he’s tough,” said coach Elmer Pamisa who accompanied the team to Baku with Picson and another coach Sonny Dollente. “Michael is a fighter who doesn’t back down.”

Picson said ABAP president Ricky Vargas visited the ABAP gym to meet with the youth fighters last Saturday and instructed the coaches to find a replacement for Palileo. That same night, Delorino arrived in Manila from Baguio.

“Michael comes from a hard-working family,” said Picson. “His father is a carpenter and his mother is a cook at the Northern Samar provincial capitol where Gov. Raul Daza, who is an ABAP regional president, holds office. Even if he won only a bronze in the last National Open, the coaches like his moves and believe he has a lot of potential.”

The other fighters in Baku are lightflyweight Michael Barriga, flyweight Jenno Cabugngan, bantamweight Ricky Dulay and featherweight Nathaniel Montealto.

The trip from Manila to Baku was tiring, said Picson, as it took over 20 hours, flying close to nine hours to Dubai and spending another nine hours in a stopover before flying three more hours to Azerbaijan. Clearing immigration in Baku took nearly three hours as visas were processed in the airport since there is no Azerbaijan embassy in Manila.

“It is moderately cold in Baku,” said Picson. “It’s around 16 degrees in the daytime. It’s windy so the boys jogged and worked out indoors the first morning. They’re wearing specially-made PLDT-ABAP winter jackets but the wind was too much on their faces.”

Picson said delegations from at least 60 countries are now in Baku and more are expected to fly in today with airports finally opening up in Europe. Organizers said 110 countries confirmed participation. A late withdrawal was the US boxing team.

Among the delegations in the same hotel where the Philippine team is billeted are from Russia, India, Mauritius, Chinese-Taipei, Turkey and Indonesia.