FILIPINO boxer Carlo Paalam settled for silver in the Men's Flyweight division finals round after bowing to Galal Yafai of Great Brittain in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics at the Kokugikan Arena in Tokyo, Japan Saturday, August 7, 2021.
He is the fourth Filipino to win a medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
The 23-year-old Paalam had an impressive run in his first Olympic campaign. He started out his run with a 4-1 decision win over Irish Brendan Irvine in the Round of 32.
He followed it up with a lopsided points win over two-time Olympian Mohamed Flissi of Algeria in the Round of 16.
Paalam came in as a huge underdog in the quarterfinals as he faced 2016 Rio Olympics and AIBA World Boxing Championships gold medalist Shakhobidin Zoirov. He beat Zoirov by technical decision after the fight was stopped due to a huge cut over the Uzbek’s eye.
The Bukidnon-native then totally outclassed Japanese Ryomei Tanaka, the older brother of two-division world champion Kosei Tanaka, in the semifinals.
The boxer is set to receive incentives from the government and private sectors.
On July 26, 2021, the Philippines got its first-ever gold in the Olympics after Hidilyn Diaz, 30, won the gold for winning the women’s 55-kilogram weightlifting category.
Paalam's win hauled the Philippines three medals in boxing at the Summer Olympics.
On August 5, boxer Eumir Marcial settled for bronze in the men's middleweight boxing after bowing to Ukrainian Oleksandr Khyzhniak.
Filipina boxer Nesthy Petecio on Tuesday, August 3, won the Olympic silver medal after bowing to Sena Irie of Japan via unanimous decision in their women's featherweight gold medal match.
The 2020 Summer Olympics marks the most medals the Philippines' won since its debut in the sporting event in 1924. (JGS/EKA)