Despite their fierce and fearless demeanor in the ring and on the mat, Dabawenyo athletes Nesthy Petecio, a two-time Olympic medalist, and Chino Sy Tancontian, a decorated sambo champion, proved they could command the runway just as effortlessly.
Clad in stunning creations by renowned Filipino designer Avel Bacudio—whose designs beautifully fused the nation’s rich cultural heritage with the resilience and determination of Filipino athletes—strutted down the catwalk during the "Gintong Sinag: Hinabi ng Lakas, Ginawa nang may Pagmamahal" fundraising fashion show at Plaza Mexico, Intramuros, Manila, on Tuesday evening, March 25, 2025—proving they can dazzle beyond the sports stage.
Fresh from caring for her mother, Prescilla, in a Davao City hospital, Petecio shared her excitement about the experience.
(Chino and I are absolutely thrilled to be part of this event! It turns out we're not just built for sports—we can rock the runway too)," she told SunStar Davao in a Messenger interview.
The show also featured other national athletes on the runway, including Olympic bronze medalist Aira Villegas, para-athletes Angel Otom, Jerrold Mangliwan, Allain Ganapin, and gymnast Karl Eldrew Yulo. The grand finale belonged to Paris Olympics double gold medalist Carlos Edriel Yulo, who closed the event with a powerful walk.
Petecio lauded Bacudio’s designs, especially because they were meticulously crafted by senior tailors aged 80 to 90.
"Ang gusto niya mamulat ang mga kabataan, or magka-idea sila sa atoang mga kultura sa dating panahon mao iyaha na gi design. Tanan mga suot namo, lahi-lahi mga nagtahi nga senior, og naay lahi-lahi nga meaning (He wants to inspire the younger generation and give them an understanding of our culture from the past, which is why he designed these pieces this way. Each outfit we wore was sewn by different senior tailors, each with its own unique meaning)," she shared, adding that Bacudio's creations were also incredibly comfortable to wear.
The Davao City-born boxer, who only has an Olympic gold missing from her collection, was impressed by the designs and hoped that the team could wear them as uniforms for the upcoming 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand this December.
While the biennial event is still months away, Petecio remains focused on her other commitments and personal matters. However, she stands firm on her ultimate goal: to keep fighting until she wins the elusive Olympic gold in Los Angeles in 2028.
Petecio won silver at the Tokyo Olympics and secured bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympics—but she isn’t done yet. MLSA