FILIPINA bet Nesthy Petecio is a win away from a gold medal finish in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics after a 4-1 decision win over Italian Irma Testa in the semifinals of the Women’s Featherweight division on July 30, 2021 at the Kokugikan Arena in Tokyo, Japan.
Petecio continued to impress and got the nod of four of the five judges in a close fight. Tunisian judge Hichem Menchaoui, Ukranian judge Pavlo Vasylynchuk, Mongolian judge Tsogtgerel Tserenkhand and Aussie judge Maksim Sulejmani had identical 28-27 scores for Petecio. Argentinean judge Manuel Vilarino scored it 29-28 for Testa.
The 28-year-old Petecio faces the winner of the other Women’s Featherweight division semifinal fight between Japanese bet Sena Irie and British Kariss Artingstall on Aug. 3, 2021.
Irie is a 20-year-old promising young pug that finished fifth in the 2019 AIBA Women’s Boxing World Championships. Artingstall, meanwhile, is a bronze medalist in the World Championships.
Petecio beat both Irie and Petecio in the World Championships. She defeated Irie, 4-1, on points in the quarterfinals and Artingstall, also 4-1, by decision in the semi-finals.
On the other hand, Carlo Paalam is off to the quarterfinals after a one-sided 5-0 decision win over Algerian Mohamed Flissi in the Men’s Flyweight division in Boxing.
Paalam got the nod of all five judges with identical 30-27 scores.
Paalam will be in for a tough task against Shakhobidin Zoirov in the Men’s Flyweight division quarterfinals on Aug. 3, 2021.
Zoirov, who’s already a pro boxer, is the Men’s Flyweight division gold medal winner of the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2019 AIBA World Boxing Championships.
The 28-year-old Zoirov totally outclassed his first two opponents in the Olympics. He beat both Turkey’s Batuhan Ciftci and Cape Verde’s Daniel David Varela de Pina by lopsided decisions.
On the other hand, Ernest John Obiena advanced to the finals of the Men’s Pole Vault event.
Obiena finished fifth after clearing the 5.75 meters in three attempts. The top 12 performers advanced to the finals. (EKA)