HANGZHOU — Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Nesthy Petecio’s bid to qualify for Paris 2024 went up in smoke Friday when she dropped a 4-1 decision to bitter Taiwanese rival Lin Yu Ting in their 57 kg class bout in the 19th Asian Games.
Petecio had beaten Lin during the quarterfinals in Tokyo but the 5-9 Taiwanese didn’t allow her to get beaten again, using her height advantage and longer reach in pulling off the upset win.
“She figured me out quickly,” said Petecio, a native of Davao del Sur, who was nonetheless humble in defeat.
The loss denied Petecio her first shot at clinching a return ticket to the Olympics set next year as the quadrennial showcase serves as a qualifier to the Olympiad.
Now, Petecio has to go through and compete in the World Championship in the hopes of making it in Paris.
“Don’t count me out,” Petecio vowed.
Petecio’s exit also ended the women’s team campaign in the Asiad, leaving the men’s team — now down to just three fighters — to carry the fight in a bid to win Philippine boxing’s first gold medal since the 2010 edition of the quadrennial meet in Guangzhou, China.
Other than Petecio, those who failed to advance include her fellow Olympian Irish Magno, Aira Villegas, Aaron Jude Bado, Mark Ashley Fajardo and Marjon Pianar.
