TWO FEMALE BOXERS WIN GOLD, MEN SETTLE FOR SILVER
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 08 Jul 2011
Two outstanding female boxers won gold medals with rousing victories in the finals of the 21st President?s Cup boxing tournament while our men settled for silver at the Gelora Bung Karno Senayan Indoor Tennis Stadium in Jakarta on Friday.
World Women?s Championship bronze medallist Josie Gabuco who routed Nguyen Thi Yen of Vietnam 21-5 to reach the semi finals and then totally outclassed Indonesia?s Selly Wanimbo en route to a 22-11 win in the semis, came from behind to beat Gui Jing Shan of China in the light flyweight finals 14-11. Selly is among several Indonesian fighters in the national team who are being groomed for the forthcoming Southeast Asian Games in Jakarta.
Nesthy Petecio also totally out-boxed hometown girl Veronica Nicolas en route to a lopsided 23-7 victory in the semi finals before winning the gold with a 19-12 conquest of th Le Thi Bang of Vietnam in the 51 kg finals.
Prior to the bout with Gabuco, Indonesia?s national women?s team coach Ronny Sigarlaki said that while Selly had been impressive so far, the 2009 Southeast Asian Games bronze medallist ?needs to take her game up a notch if she hopes to beat Gabuco who won the 46 kg gold medal in the 2009 SEA Games before going up in weight.?
Sigarlaki said Selly has been ?using a great strategy in this tournament. She isn?t just counting on her power, she?s also using her head but she has to perform better in the semi finals because Josie (Gabuco) is a good fighter.?
Indonesia?s national team director Serta Ginting conceded ?The Filipino fighters are still too tough for us.? He said ?It is kind of expected to see Selly and Veronica lose against Gabuco and Petecio. Ginting added that Gabuco was ?a world class boxer.?
The third female boxer Analisa Cruz suffered a shocking defeat at the hands of Japanese Aya Shinmoto, the Asian Games bronze medallist and two-tine World Championship veteran.
After an even opening round 2-2 the Philippine delegation was aghast when the judges had the Japanese lass leading 7-4 which they felt Cruz had actually won.
While Cruz battled back desperately and engaged Shinmoto in some tnorrid exchanges the judges saw it differently to give the Japanese girl a 13-6 cushion en route 21-10 win.
Earlier 18-year-old Nathaniel Montealto failed to show enough aggressiveness against his Russian foe Alexander Malinin and lost, 8-5. The team thought he could have turned it around if he had just thrown more punches as it seemed the Russian was wary of him.
The fairytale ride of 16 year old sensation Ian Clark Bautista who had smashed his way into the finals with a classic 12-5 victory over India?s promising 18 year old Gaurav Bidhuri came to an end when he dropped a 23-10 decision to Inouye of Japan whose ring savvy proved too much for Bautista.
Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines executive director Ed Picson told the Daily Inquirer that Bautista, nicknamed ?Yan Yan? will ?learn from this experience. A silver medal is not bad for a newbie.?
Multi-titled team captain Charly Suarez who appeared to settling down to show his true potential with a spectacular performance to overwhelm tough Yeldos Saldalin of Kazakhstan, a A former World Youth Championship quarter finalist 15-6 lost a close 17-19 decision to China?s Cen Yu in the lightweight finals.
Prior to the finals , ABAP executive director Ed Picson is upbeat about the chances of the Nationals. In an email to the Daily Inquirer, Picson said "Remember, we brought mostly young members of the pool here. While the veterans are carrying the day, the showing of our first timers, especially Yan-yan Bautista is heartwarming. We have two bronze medals and four opportunities to win gold in a tough field. That situation is already better than expected, but our boxers want to win the gold."
Picson added: "This is a testament to the directions set by ABAP chairman Manny Pangilinan and our president Ricky Vargas. We strive for excellence but it entails hard work and leaving nothing to chance. That's why we have some of the most experienced coaches, our own strength and conditioning consultant, nutritionist and sports psychologist. With ample support from PLDT, the backing of the Philippine Sports Commission and our sponsors Accel, G4S, Powerade and Clusivol, the team is armed with the proper tools for success. It's now up to our athletes to utilize them optimally."
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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