ABAP?S QUEST FOR OLYMPIC BOXING GOLD IN LONDON
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 17 Feb 2012
Marc Anthony Barriga.
The Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) is doing everything to fulfill the dream of every Filipino sports enthusiast, the winning of the first Olympic gold medal.
So far only one Filipino boxer qualified for the 2012 London Olympics in the person of light flyweight Marc Anthony Barriga. He became eligible for the Olympics after finishing ninth overall in the Amateur International Boxing Association (AIBA) World Boxing Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan last October.
Barriga?s quarterfinal opponent won the gold medal in that event making the Filipino qualify for the Olympics. He will train and fight abroad and get high quality coaching, including extremely nutritious package, according to ABAP executive director Ed Picson.
Picson hopes that more boxers would qualify for the London Games when ABAP sends boxers to the men?s qualifier in Astana, Kazakhstan from April 4 to 13 and the women?s qualifier in Quinhuangdao, China from May 9 to 20.
The boxers who hope to earn slots in the men?s division are Rey Saludar (flyweight), Charly Suarez (lightweight), Joejin Ladon and Junel Cantancio (bantamweight), Orlando Tacu-yan and Dennis Galvan (light welterweight), and Nathaniel Montealto and Wilfredo Lopez (welterweight).
In the women?s division, the hopefuls are Kate Aparri, Josie Gabuco and Nesthy Petecio (light flyweight), Janice Banares and Rica Aquino (lightweight).
According to Picson, SEA Games gold medalist Suarez faces the toughest test for he needs to win no less than the gold in the lightweight to qualify for London because there is only one remaining slot for Asians in that category. But Picson is optimistic for Suarez because some of the best boxers have already qualified in that division.
In the other divisions, the top four ? gold, silver, and two bronze medalists would qualify. ABAP is hoping to let five boxers succeed in the qualifiers for the bigger chance of winning the gold in London.
Boxing is the most productive sport in Olympic history with two silver and three bronze medals. Anthony Villanueva Jr. won the first silver medal in 1964 in Tokyo while Mansueto ?Onyok? Velasco repeated the same exploit in 1996 in Atlanta.
The country?s Olympic bronze medalists in boxing were Roel Velasco (1992), Anthony Villanueva Sr. (1932) and Leopoldo Serrantes (1988).
Our boxers are on the right track. In the recently concluded Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia, Filipino boxers won four golds, one silver and one bronze.
The National Open boxing championships will be held in Tagbilaran, Bohol from March 4 to 7.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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