SOUTHEAST Asian (SEA) Games 2019 women's boxing champion Nesthy Alcayde Petecio is upbeat about the bubble training for Tokyo Olympics aspirants as she leaves for Manila via a Philippine Airlines (PAL) 8:25 a.m. flight Friday, January 15, 2021.
Joining her in the flight are Marjon Piañar of Panabo City and Junmilario Ogayre of Davao City who will also be joining the bubble training.
She arrived in Davao City on Thursday, January 14, after months of staying with her family in Barangay Tuban in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur.
Petecio said, "Excited nako sunogon akong mga fats. Excited nako maghilak sa kakapoy og sa mga kasaba sa akong coaches (I'm excited to burn my fats. I'm also excited to cry when I'm tired from training or when my coaches scold me)."
She claimed she had been missing the actual feel of a face-to-face training with her coaches as for the past months they only met through virtual training.
The 2019 Aiba Women's World Boxing champion also at times trained on her own while at home.
She also said that undergoing a bubble-type training is not a problem for her. "Okay ra kaayo Maam para mas maka-focus maayo ko sa training po (That's okay with me so I can focus on my training)."
Petecio is among those who are seeking for spots in the upcoming Olympics. She, however, has yet to know the schedules of qualifying tournaments she will be competing in after these events were scrapped last year due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
She booked a hotel near Davao International Airport on Jan. 14 yet still had time to take a stroll around SM Lanang Premier in the afternoon. She also underwent a swab test that yielded a negative result recently.
Strict protocols will be in place at the Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba, Laguna where the bubble training will be held for the boxing, taekwondo, and karatedo national teams.