Nesthy Petecio ‘blessed’ as Olympic gold quest continues
Philippines’ Nesthy Petecio (red) reacts after winning against Colombia’s Yeni Marcela Arias Castaneda at the end of their women’s feather (54-57kg) quarter-final boxing match during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Kokugikan Arena in Tokyo on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Luis ROBAYO / AFP)
TOKYO—Chalk up another medal for Team Philippines here.
Nesthy Petecio will get to decide what color it will be.
Petecio hammered out a unanimous decision win over Yeni Arias Castaneda of Colombia in the women’s boxing featherweight quarterfinals on Wednesday, assuring the country of at least a bronze medal.
“I feel so blessed,” the calculating Petecio said after the bout, where she engaged Arias Castaneda in a crafty battle to negate her foe’s ultra aggressive approach.
Even a tempered approach to the game failed to throw off Petecio’s corner as the 29-year-old adjusted well after a feel-out first round.
Fighting in the slipstream of Hidilyn Diaz’s golden Olympic moment, Petecio carved a little milestone for herself at Kokukigan Arena here.
Her medal—whatever color it may be—will be the first podium finish for Philippine boxing since Onyok Velasco grabbed a silver in Atlanta in 1996.
