EUMIR Marcial’s bid for Olympic glory got a huge shot in the arm after Chooks-to-Go president Ronald Mascariñas pledged support toward the former’s 2020 Tokyo Olympics campaign.
"As a fellow Mindanoan, I feel the struggles of our athletes in that region. We at Chooks-to-Go cannot turn a blind eye on them," shared Mascariñas, a native of Butuan, on the Zamboanga-raised pugilist.
The 25-year-old Marcial booked a ticket to the summer Olympics last year after winning the middleweight division of the 2020 Asia and Oceania Olympic Boxing Qualifiers. Not long after, he also turned pro and trained in the United States in preparation for the quadrennial meet.
"Siyempre, napre-pressure po ako pero iniisip ko na lang yung pressure nandiyan lang lagi 'yan. Gagamitin ko yun bilang lakas ko," said Marcial. "Inspirasyon ko hindi lang pamilya ko, kung hindi ang buong bansa. Ang daming nagtitiwala sa akin ngayon kaya lalo akong lumalakas ngayon."
Marcial expressed his gratitude for the support that Chooks-to-Go will provide him, saying this would take a load off of his mind which would allow him to simply focus on the task at hand -- to end the country's gold medal drought in the Olympics.
"Sobrang masaya ako ngayon dahil nandito yung Chooks-to-Go na grabe yung tiwala sa akin. Yung Chooks-to-Go ay buong puso na kumausap sa akin. Nung nakausap ko si Boss Ronald, lalo akong na-inspire sa mga laban ko kasi tagos sa puso yung sinabi niya sa akin," he said.
Marcial joins the likes of basketball's Kai Sotto, Kobe Paras, Kiefer Ravena, Gabe Norwood, and Paul Desiderio as ambassadors of the brand. Also part of Chooks-to-Go's stable are triathlon's Nikko Huelgas and the Manila Chooks TM team that competes in the FIBA 3x3 pro circuit.
Chooks-to-Go is also supporting regional pro leagues Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup and National Basketball League-Pilipinas, as well as, semi-pro league Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League.
Marcial, who is bound for Dubai on Saturday for the Asian Elite Men and Women Boxing Championships, plans to repay the trust given to him by Chooks-to-Go by giving glory to the country come the Games.
"Kay Boss Ronald, maraming maraming salamat po sa suporta at pagtiwala na makukuha ko yung gold sa Olympics. Maraming salamat sa suporta na binibigay niyo na suporta sa mga atleta na lumalaban para sa bayan," he said. (JNP)