Irish Magno, other Pinay boxers to head home from Baguio for training resumption

MANILA, Philippines – After more than three months, Filipina boxers based in Baguio City are scheduled next week to return to their respective provinces, where they will continue their training for the meantime amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Led by Olympic-bound Irish Magno, the Philippine women’s boxing team will halt their training camp at the Teachers’ Camp on July 1 to fly back home upon the orders of the Philippine Sports Commission.

“We have our tickets already. We’re going home on July 1,” Magno, a native of Janiuay, Iloilo on Tuesday told The STAR.

Magno also said that they are set to complete all the necessary travel and medical documents this week for their Baguio departure and scheduled flight from NAIA next Wednesday.

The 28-year-old flyweight fighter and the rest of the team have been in the Summer Capital since March when most of the country were placed under enhanced community quarantine.

Their movements have been limited since then before the quarantine relaxations in Benguet last month allowed them to finally resume light to moderate training.

With the grappling effects of the coronavirus crisis, the PSC earlier this month announced a tough decision to momentarily recall the boxing team’s training camp as part of the commission’s belt-tightening measures.

That decision was the only resort for now given the situation as most of the PSC facilities namely Rizal Memorial Sports Complex (RMSC) in Manila and the PhilSports Complex in Pasig also being used as temporary isolation and quarantine facilities.

There’s no timetable yet on how long will be the boxers' stay in their hometowns before returning to their original PSC quarters.

Magno, who punched her way to the Tokyo Olympics in the Asia and Oceania Olympic boxing qualification held in Jordan last March, is among the four Filipino Olympic qualifiers so far along with fellow boxer Eumir Marcial, gymnast Caloy Yulo and pole vaulter EJ Obiena.