PHNOM PENH. – Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio mastered their finals opponents to clinch gold medals while newcomer Paul Julyfer Bascon had an unforgettable Southeast Asian Games debut in the boxing competitions of the 32n Southeast Asian Games Sunday.
With a handful of Filipino fans cheering him at the Chroy Changvar Center Hall G, Paalam clinched his second gold medal in the biennial meet since 2019, scoring a 5-0 unanimous decision win over Indonesian Aldoms Siguru in the bantamweight finals.
“I didn’t doubt myself winning this gold medal,” the 24-year-old Tokyo Olympics silver medalist said, adding he can still improve his craft.
“It’s still a long way to go, but thank you to my coaches for always being there,” he said.
Petecio redeemed herself from a frustrating campaign in Vietnam last year by beating Indonesian Ratna Sari Devi via a unanimous decision in the finals of the women’s featherweight class.
“I am back,” Petecio declared after her win.
Bascon used his solid counterpunching to beat Rujakran Juntrong of Thailand in the men’s light welterweight finals via a 3-2 split decision to win his first SEA Games gold medal on his international debut.
In all, four of the nine Pinoy boxes who reached the finals here won four gold medals, including Ian Clark Bautista who won the featherweight gold medal last Saturday.
The 4-gold tally surpassed the three golds won by the country in Vietnam last year.
Two other Pinoy pugs who reached the finals — Fil-Am John Marvin and Petecio’s younger brother, Norlan — lost and settled for silver medals.
Marvin lost to Weerapon Jongjoho of Thailand in the men’s light heavyweight finals via unanimous decision while Norlan also lost by unanimous decision to Thailand’s Bunjong Sinsiri in their lightweight finale.
Marvin and Orlan Petecio joined Irish Magno, Riza Pasuit and Rogen Ladon as silver medal winners here.
