Friday, September 21, 2007 Martinez heads RP team in Vietnam training By Henry C. Villalva
NEGRENSE lady amateur boxer Mitchel Martinez of Pulupandan, Negros Occidental, who won the lightweight gold during the 23rd Southeast Asian games women’s boxing competition held here at the University of St. La Salle Coliseum, banners the RP-Smart women’s boxing team which will train for one month in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Martinez, a former shot put collegiate champion and a graduate of University of St. La Salle who is heavily favored to retain her lightweight gold in the forthcoming 24th SEA Games set December 6-16 in Nakhon Ratchisima, Thailand, will train with her Vietnamese counterparts, according to an announcement from the governing Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) headed by Manny Lopez.
Also with the team are Alice Kate Aparri, Josie Gabuco, Analisa Cruz, Librada Tamson, Flor Digmayo, Jouvilet Chilem, Maria Bautista, Ronijen Sofla, and Annie Albania.
The contingent, which was originally set to leave last September 15, is headed by former sports commissioner Josie Bauzon.
Roel Velasco, 1992 Barcelona Olympics bronze medalist and a native of Bago City, coaches the team together with Glicerio “Boy” Catolico.
“I am excited to train in Vietnam together with my teammates as we are doing this in preparation for the coming SEA Games where we hope to retain the country’s overall championship in boxing,” Martinez said Thursday in a telephone interview.
She said she also wanted to convey her “sincere thanks and gratitude” to all her Negrense supporters and fans especially those who have encouraged her to continue training as an amateur boxer.
“My shift to boxing from athletics was accidental but I am so thankful that even my former coaches in shot put including Coach Roger Banzuela of USLS have remained very supportive of me,” Martinez added.
She was with the national training pool for athletics after she graduated from USLS when she watched the boxing training at the ABAP gym across the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila when she was invited to try out. “To make the long story short, I tried out, was accepted and I’ve learned to love the sport of boxing since that time,” Martinez said.
Meanwhile, Lopez expressed high hopes that the RP women’s team will be able to perform well in the December SEA Games. “Our lady boxers are determined to add more medals to our overall output and their determination is amazing.”
Martinez was a member of the Western Visayas athletics contingent that dethroned National Capital Region (NCR) during the 1997 Tertiary Palarong Pambansa held in Koronadal, South Cotabato where she pocketed the gold medal in women’s shot put.
