Bacyadan at the crossroads

PARIS – A good try.

For Hergie Bacyadan, boxing was just a try, and it was a good one with the wushu/vovinam/kickboxing artist making it all the way to the pinnacle of boxing competition with mere months of training.

But as she’s still very much committed to her other sports, Bacyadan is unsure whether she’s to pursue boxing and take another shot at the Olympics following her quick exit in the Paris Games.

She said she’s to consult with kickboxing chief and Philippine Olympic Committee secretary general Wharton Chan.

Chan, for his part, is very much willing to let go of Bacyadan especially if it’s for the country’s Olympic dream.

“Hindi natin ipag-dadamot siya sa boxing, unang-una wala kami sa Olympics,” said Chan, head of kickboxing with competitions limited to lower levels of international meets.

Bacyadan isn’t closing the door on it.

“Tuloy-tuloy ang training ko sa kickboxing at vovinam pero ivi-visualize ko rin ang boxing. Kung tutuloy ako sa boxing, siguro sa lower division,” the Kalinga warrior said.

Entered in the 75kg class, Bacyadan ran into the big, bemedaled Chinese in Li Quan and failed to make it past the opening round.

“Hindi tayo kinulang sa tapang pero lamang siya sa experience,” said Bacyadan of Li, Olympics silver winner in Tokyo in 2021 and bronze in Rio in 2016.

But she had no regrets.

She’s calm and flashing smiles in facing the media after her lone Paris bout.

“Sobrang happy ko na napa-bilang maging Olympian. Sobrang happy, dagdag aral ito sa buhay, dagdag experience sa sport na sinalihan ko,” she said.