A Dozen International Tournaments Set for Filipino fighters
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 04 Apr 2010
An intensified program that will give members of the national training pool the needed international exposure in the ultimate goal of winning for the country its first ever Olympic gold medal has been set in place.
The Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines has lined up no less than a dozen international tournaments in the hope of providing the Filipino simonpures in the juniors, elite and women?s ranks the best and toughest competitions on the way to bringing honors for the country in the coming Youth Olympic Games and the Asian Games, both set middle and late this year, and beyond.
?This program, which is only part of a bigger mass-based scheme we are currently embarking, is only to show ABAP?s determined efforts towards preparing our boxers to this year?s Asian Games and beyond.? Amateur Boxing Association President Ricky Vargas told the MANILA TIMES on the eve of the Nationals? departure.
?Our ultimate objective, of course, is the fulfilment of our people?s golden dream of success in the Olympic Games,? Vargas said
?When we accepted to help our amateur boxers regained the status they once enjoyed in the Olympic competitions, we committed ourselves and the institutions we represent to make that dream a success in terms of giving the fighters the needed international experience, ? ABAP chairman and PLDT top man Manny V. Pangilinan, for his part said.
A six-man national team, made up of elite fighters Gerson Nietes, Rey Saludar, Aston Francis Palicte, Charly Suarez, Jameboy Vicera and Wilfredo Lopez flew to Guiyang in China yesterday to vie for honors in the China Open slated to start today and spread until April 11.
From Guiyang, the team will proceed to Beijing to attend a training camp April 12 to May 2 where other members of the training pool ? Victorio Saludar, Junel Cantancio and Orlando Tacuyan will join them.
Also joining the Beijing training sojourn are members of the RP women?s squad ? Josie Gabuco and Annie Albania, both gold medallists in the recent Southeast Asian Games , Alice Kate Aparri, Renalyn Jacob and Nesthy Petecio ? to fill in the void created by the cancellation of the Feliks Stamm Memorial Women championship earlier set April 13-19.
Next in the calendar of the men?s squad are the International Elite Tournament in Tashkent, Uzbekistan May 15-21, the prestigious MVP Cup in Manila July 14-21, competitions in Almaty, Kazakhstran Aug. 26-30 and a seniors tourney in Neustracit, Austria Sept. 23-26.
Albania and company will also be seeing action in the MVP Cup where, according to ABAP executive director Ed Picson, fighters from the top boxing nations will also be invited.
The Filipino women fighters are also scheduled to compete in the Asian Boxing Confederation championships May 23-30 in Aztana, Kazakhstan and the International Boxing Association Women?s Championships Sept. 10-18 in Bridge Town, Barbados.
The junior team ? made up of Darly Basadre, Mark Anthony Barriga, Englebert Moralde, John Tabanao, Jenno Cabugngan, Leonil Bordeos, Michael de Lorino and Nathaniel Moltealto - preparing for the Youth Olympic Games Aug. 14-26 in Singapore, on the other hand, is slated to take part in the President Heydar Aliver Cup April 22 to May 2 in Baku, Azerbaijan and the Ahmet Comdert Juniors Tournament July 21-28 in Istanbul, Turkey.
(Eddie Alinea writes for the Manila Times)
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