THE Philippine men’s boxing team hopes to pick up from where AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships gold medalist Eumir Marcial left off as it leaves for Incheon, South Korea Wednesday to see action in the Asian Boxing Championships.
Guangzhou Asian Games gold medalist Rey Saludar banners the six-man squad coached by Ronald Chavez and Roel Velasco, bronze medal winner in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
And the group declares the 15-year-old Marcial is a big inspiration to them to do better in the August 5-13 meet.
“Yun din ang goal natin ang makakuha ng gintong medalya, dahil nagsisilbing inspirasyon si Eumir sa mga bata nating boksingero at mga seniors,” said men’s head coach Pat Gaspi in a rainy PSA Forum session yesterday at Shakey’s U.N. Ave. where Marcial joined the boxing delegation.
Added Gaspi, “sabi nga namin, kung nakaya niya (Marcial), mas maganda ang pag-asa ng elite team natin.”
On Saturday, Marcial, a native of Zamboanga, made history by becoming the first Filipino to win a gold medal in the world junior championship in Astana, Kazakhstan, highlighting his exploit with a 9-7 victory over Onat Cengiz of Turkey in the 52 kg. final.
A third-year high school student in Baguio, the soft-spoken teener, coached and trained by three-time Olympian Romeo Brin, said his triumph hopefully, will translate into more golds in the future, specifically in the Olympics.
“Yun lang naman po ang pangarap natin, ang maka-gold sa Olympics at makatulong sa pamilya ko,” said Marcial, who was joined in the forum presented by Smart, PAGCOR, Outlast Battery, and Shakey’s by his father Eulalio, a barangay tanod and occasional boxing trainer, and mother Carmencita, a plain housewife.
Upon arrival in the country Monday, Marcial was personally congratulated by Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) president Ricky Vargas, Executive Director Ed Picson and chairman Manny V. Pangilinan, who gave him a financial reward worth P300,000 for winning the gold.
“Sabi niya po sana gamitin sa mabuting paraan yung nakuha kong reward at ibigay ito sa mga magulang ko,” said Marcial of his chance meeting with the man they referred to as `MVP.’
Chavez said Marcial’s victory serves the boxing team in good stead, although he stressed competition in the Asian tilt is expected to be very tough.
“Hindi natin maaalis yung mga `tan’ countries (Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan), siyempre, andiyan din `yung host country, China, and Thailand, kung pinayagan na sila ng AIBA na mag-compete,” added Chavez.
Aside from Saludar, others in the compact boxing squad are former Asian gold medal winner Joan Tipon, Charlie Suarez, Wilfredo Lopez, Orlando Tacuyan and either Victorio Saludar or Mark Anthony Barriga.
The showing of the six Filipino pugs will also be used as benchmark for their possible inclusion in the World Boxing Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan this September.
The meet serves as one of two qualifiers for the 2012 London Olympics.
“Kung maging maganda ang performance nila ditto sa Asian Boxing Championships, malaki ang posibilidad na makasama rin sila sa team for the world championship,” Chavez said.
“At the same time, dito rin natin ma-gauge yung mga contemporary natin sa Asia para mapag-handaan din natin sila Olympic qualifier.”(PSA PR)
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