BAC NINH. – Tokyo Olympian silver medalist Nesthy Petecio battles Vietnamese Tran Thi Linh on Friday, eyeing a decisive victory to avoid a controversial decision in the women’s featherweight boxing event of the 31st Southeast Asian Games at the Bac Ninh Stadium here.
Petecio, 30, of Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur, will go into the match assured of the bronze medal after scoring a unanimous decision victory over Kay Thwe Nyein of Myanmar in the quarterfinals last Wednesday.
Another Tokyo Olympian, Irish Magno, faces Indonesia’s Novita Sinadia in the women’s flyweight semifinals.
Seeing action Thursday in the semifinals were Josie Gabuco, Rogen Ladon, James Palicte, Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Eumir Felix Marcial, and Riza Pasuit.
Linh, showing great boxing skills, also scored a unanimous decision victory over Thai Sudaporn Seeondee in the quarterfinals.
Controversial decisions have marred other events here, like in taekwondo last Wednesday, and Petecio, the defending champion in the division, needs to show her world-mettle to avoid falling prey to the judges.
Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines Secretary-General Marcus Jarwin Manalo said Petecio, the 2019 world champion, has not faced Linh before, but they were together in training camp in Muak Lek, Thailand, with the rest of the Philippine team.
“I don’t think they already fought each other in the past, but they were together in Thailand, so I think she’s familiar with her,” said Manalo, who added Petecio has what it takes to retain her SEA Games title.
Also on Friday, Ian Clark Bautista fights Cambodian Rangsey Sao in the semifinals while Marjon Piañar, coming off a bye, battles Indonesian Sarohatua Lumbantobing or Cambodia’s Vy Sophors in the welterweight class.
All nine Filipino boxers competing here have advanced to the semis as of Wednesday night and are expected to boost the country’s hunt for more gold medals.
The Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines actually fielded 10 boxers but the women’s middleweight class (75kg), where Hergie Bacyadan was set to compete, was scratched because there were only two entries.
