Carlo Paalam (in red), along with fellow Filipino boxer Nesthy Petecio, has been selected by the Philippine Olympic Committee as the flag bearer, in recognition of their impressive performances at the previous Tokyo Games, where both athletes secured silver medals. AIBA PHOTO
Pinoy boxers Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam will serve as the Philippines’ flag bearers during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The Philippine Olympic Committee announced their selection on Monday, June 17, citing their outstanding performances at the Tokyo Games, where both athletes won silver medals.
Fifteen Filipino athletes have booked tickets to the Paris Games. They are pole vaulter EJ Obiena; gymnasts Carlos Yulo, Aleah Finnegan, Levi Ruivivar and Emma Malabuyo; boxers Aira Villegas, Nesthy Petecio, Hergie Bacyadan, Eumir Marcial and Carlo Paalam; rower Joanie Delgaco; weightlifters Vanessa Sarno, John Ceniza and Elreen Ando; and fencer Sam Catantan.
At the 2021 Tokyo Games, the Philippines won its first gold medal coming from weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz. Paalam and Petecio pocketed silver medals while Marcial got a bronze.
Last week, the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) is optimistic that its team going to the Paris Olympics can duplicate, if not surpass, the performance at the Tokyo Games.
ABAP secretary-general Marcus Jarwin Manalo said Petecio (women's 57kg), Aira Villegas (women's 50kg), Hergie Bacyadan (women's 75kg), Paalam (men's 57kg) and Eumir Marcial (men's 80kg) are medal contenders.
“These five who qualify, we feel have a very good chance to podium and to go all the way,” said Manalo, who joined the team in the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at the conference hall of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex on June 11.
“We’re very optimistic that this is really a strong five that we’re bringing (to the Paris Olympics),” he added.
“Alam kong hindi ganun kadali ngayon yung pag-dadaanan ko sa Paris especially iba siya sa Tokyo. Kasi sa Tokyo wala siyang exposure halos, walang laro, walang multi-training na ginawa. Ngayon open na. So hindi basta-basta gaya ng iniisip ng iba (I know that it will not be that easy for me to pass through Paris, especially since it is different from Tokyo. Because in Tokyo, there's almost no exposure, no games, no multi-training was done. Now it's open. So it's not easy as others think),” Petecio said.
“Iba na yung level ng mga boxers ngayon. Kung may pinaka-maliit pa na butas ng karayom na pagdadaanan ko, mas maliit pa yung daan na gagawin ko dito (Today's boxers are on a different level. If there is the tiniest hole of a needle for me to pass through, the path I will make through is even smaller)," he added.
The Filipino boxers will go to Germany on August 1 for a multi-nation training camp with other Olympic qualifiers. With PNA
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