PALEMBANG, Indonesia—With two gold medals won on Saturday, and two more up for grabs Monday, the head of the Philippine boxing delegation here said the Filipino fighters are well on track, with the competition coming to an end.
Lightweight Charly Suarez surpassed himself to subdue the tall, veteran Thai internationalist Ardee Saylom, a qualifier to the London Olympics, Saturday and arranged a duel for the gold with Mandiangan Matius of Indonesia in today’s boxing finals.
After Suarez, it will be the turn of light welterweight Dennis Galvan to go for the gold against another Indonesian, Afdan Bachtila, in the concluding fight for the 10-man Philippine boxing team, which won a total of five gold medals (three by the women, two by the men) to place second overall behind powerhouse Thailand in the 2009 Laos Games.
The chance to replicate that feat two years ago was dashed when Asian Games flyweight gold medalist Rey Saludar was upset by unheralded Julio Bria, a wiry Indonesian of Papuan stock, who came out of nowhere to repeatedly stun the top Philippine hope.
“We are well on track,” said Ed Picson, Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines executive director, who vehemently protested the decision of an Indian referee that penalized light bantamweight Nesthy Petecio for hitting with an open glove after she had clearly connected with a left cross against Thailand’s Peamwliai Laopeam.
The controversial call, made after the referee had tolled a mandatory eight-count on the Thai, visibly swung the momentum and caused the talented Petecio the bout and a chance to go for the gold.
“Our boxers showed marked improvement in skill, conditioning and attitude, but our neighbors have also not been standing still,” Picson said in obvious praise of pinweight Josie Gabuco and light flyweight Alice Kate Aparri, a pair of comely Pinays who had the crowd swooning with their sharp and classy gold-medal feats on Saturday.
The overall boxing championship has been conceded to Thailand but the Philippines has suddenly found a strong new rival for second overall in host Indonesia.
London Olympics light flyweight qualifier Mark Anthony Barriga bowed to Indonesian Hitarihun Denissius in the Filipinos’ first bout before Bria upset the over-eager Saludar, a favorite to win the flyweight gold here, in their semifinal encounter Saturday.
The two PH-Indonesia bouts in Monday’s finals should be able to decide whether or not the Philippine boxing team in this biennial Games is indeed well on track.