HANGZHOU – Olympic silver medalist Nesthy Petecio failed to repeat against rival Lin Yu Ting of Chinese Taipei and exited early in the 19th Asian Games Friday at the Hangzhou gymnasium.
Lin used her height and reach advantage to keep her Filipina adversary at bay, pulling off a 4-1 decision and a spot in the quarterfinals of the women’s 57-kg class.
Two years ago, Petecio, 31, took the measure out of the 5-foot-9 Chinese Taipei fighter by beating her, 3-2, in the Round of 16 of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where the native of Davao Del Sur won a silver medal.
This time, it wasn’t meant to be.
“Nag-unahan kami kung sino ang makakakuha ng saktong style. At naunahan niya talaga ako (We were testing each other who could get the right style and she really got ahead of me),” said Petecio, who was humble in defeat.
The loss denied Petecio her first shot at clinching a return ticket to the Olympics set in Paris next year as the quadrennial showcase serves as a qualifier to the Olympiad.
Now, she has to go through and compete in the World Championship in the hopes of making it to the Paris Games and completing what had been unfinished business for her.
“Hindi pa tayo tapos (It's not yet over),” Petecio vowed.
Petecio’s exit also ended the women’s team campaign in the Asiad, leaving the men’s team – now down to just three fighters – to carry the fight in a bid to win Philippine boxing’s first gold medal since the 2010 edition of the quadrennial meet in Guangzhou, China.
Other than Petecio, those who failed to advance include her fellow Olympian Irish Magno, Aira Villegas, Aaron Jude Bado, Mark Ashley Fajardo, and Marjon Pianar. PR