HANGZHOU – Olympic silver medalist Nesthy Petecio failed to repeat against rival Lin Yu Ting of Chinese Taipei and made an early exit in the 19th Asian Games Friday at the Hangzhou gymnasium.
Lin used her height and reach advantage to keep at bay her Filipina adversary on the way to pulling off a 4-1 decision, and a place in the quarterfinals of the women’s 57-kg class.
Two years ago, Petecio, 31, took the measure out of the 5-foot-9 Chinese Taipei fighter by beating her, 3-2, in the Round of 16 of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where the native of Davao Del Sur won a silver medal.
This time, it wasn’t meant to be.
“Nag-unahan kami kung sino ang makakakuha ng saktong style. At naunahan niya talaga ako,” said Petecio, who was humble in defeat.
The loss denied Petecio her first shot at clinching a return ticket to the Olympics set in Paris next year as the quadrennial showcase serves as a qualifier to the Olympiad.
Now she has to go through and compete in the World Championship in the hopes of making it in the Paris Games and complete what had been an unfinished business for her.
“Hindi pa tayo tapos,” Petecio vowed.
Petecio’s exit also ended the women’s team campaign in the Asiad, leaving the men’s team – now down to just three fighters – to carry the fight in a bid to win Philippine boxing’s first gold medal since the 2010 edition of the quadrennial meet in Guangzhou, China.
Other than Petecio, those who failed to advance include her fellow Olympian Irish Magno, Aira Villegas, Aaron Jude Bado, Mark Ashley Fajardo, and Marjon Pianar.
(ai/mnm)