FELIX Eumir Marcial bowed out of the race to the Rio de Janeiro Olympics on Saturday night, leaving the Philippines with only two pugs for the Summer Games.
Tournament top seed Marcial absorbed a split-decision defeat at the hands of Abbas Baraou of Germany in the Aiba (international boxing federation) World Qualifying Event at Sarhadchi Stadium in Baku, Azerbaijan.
The reigning Southeast Asian Games champion won the first round, 29-28, but yielded the next two, both on 28-29 scores.
Ian Clark Bautista also made a quick exit in the tournament after losing to Spaniard Jose Kevin dela Nieve Linares—leaving Rogen Ladon and Charly Suarez, who made it in the Asian qualifier earlier, as the country’s only boxers in the Olympics, slated Aug. 5 to 20.
The boxers’ Baku disappointment came in the same week the national archers were wiped out from their own qualifier in Turkey.
Gabriel Moreno, Florante Matan, Rachelle Anne dela Cruz and Kareel Meer Hongitan all failed to make the mark.
Still trying to secure Olympic spots are pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena, golfer Dottie Ardina and weightlifter Nestor Colonia.