Olympic bronze medalist Villegas to self: 'You'll be prouder'

MANILA, Philippines -- After an impressive Olympic debut in Paris, boxer Aira Villegas is aiming higher in the next Olympics.

Villegas brought home the bronze medal after falling against Turkiye’s Buse Naz Cakiroglu early Wednesday morning (Manila time).

After the match, the 29-year-old Filipina said that she will be aiming for something that will make the Philippines prouder than the bronze next time around.

“Nakapag-uwi po ako ng medalya po, sana po proud pa rin po kayo sa akin. And ano po, sa younger self po, I know na you are already proud of me,” she said in an interview posted by One Sports.

“And to my future self, mas lalo ka pang magiging proud. Gagawin ko [lahat] yung pangarap ko na bago man lang mag-retire sa boxing is patugtugan ako ng national anthem ng bansa natin sa mismong Olympics,” she added.

Only the gold medalists will have their national anthems played in the Olympics. 

She also stressed that she was not disappointed with the result because she did her best.

“Hindi naman po ako super disappointed kasi ginawa ko yung best ko. Talagang napag-aralan po and aminado pong magaling po talaga siya. Pero siyempre for me nagawa ko lahat ng best ko,” she said.

“Alam ko na pinag-aralan niya ako e, kasi sa lahat ng ano, parang sa akin sila nagulat na umabot ako sa semis… Halos parehas din po kami ng laro, pero yun nga po, magaling din po talaga, magaling kumuha ng distansya and everything po,” she added.

Villegas bared that she already fought Cakiroglu in the past, and that she also lost their first contest.

The next time around, though, the bronze medalist will try to beat her rival.

“Yes po so ngayon pangalawa po pero hindi pa ako nakabawi. Pero hindi pa naman po end ng ano. In the near future, magkikita’t magkikita pa rin kami. Sa susunod, kailangan ko talagang bumawi. Hindi pwedeng mag-3-0. No.”

Villegas’s bronze medal is the Philippines’ fourth in the Paris Olympics.

Fellow boxer Nesthy Petecio will try to grab at least a silver medal when she fights for a spot in the women’s 57 kg final Thursday morning (Manila time).