“Blessed” Nesthy Petecio dedicates victory to Philippines after securing Olympic quota at Paris 2024 1st World Qualification Tournament
The Olympic silver medallist demonstrated superior ringcraft to secure victory and a Paris 2024 Olympic quota in Busto Arsizio. Compatriot Aira Villegas also secured a quota, while Omari Jones obtained a quota for the USA.
Nesthy Petecio may get the chance to upgrade her boxing Olympic silver medal at Paris 2024, after securing an Olympic quota for the Philippines at the Road to Paris 1st World Qualification Tournament in Busto Arsizio, Italy, on Monday (11 March).
Following a cagey start in the women’s 57kg bout, the southpaw exploded to life, landing some trademark stinging body shots on Esra Yildiz Kahraman of Turkiye, who struggled to keep pace.
Kahraman responded by coming forward aggressively in the second and third, and caught an increasingly passive Petecio out several times with some pinpoint jabs.
But Petecio used superior ringcraft to protect her lead, and eventually closed out the match with a split decision victory. If selected, she will become the first Filipino female boxer to secure two Olympic quotas.
“I am so blessed. This is very important for me because maybe this is my last Olympics.
"I got this ticket for so many people, especially my family, to God, and for our former President who died, and for my partner in life. Before (the tournament), I promised her that I would win the ticket to Paris and finally this is it! I’m so happy.
"I will not stop until I get the Olympic gold medal."
In the other 57kg semifinal, Julia Szeremeta outlasted USA’s Alyssa Mendoza in a 3-2 split decision to secure a quota for Poland.
There was more good news for the Philippines as Petecio’s compatriot, Aira Villegas, hung on to obtain an Olympic quota thanks to her unanimous points decision win over Zlatislava Chukanova from Bulgaria in the women’s 50 kg.
Villegas’ speed early on was the key difference between the two, helping her to overcome a point deduction in the second round and a knockdown in the third.
In the men’s 51kg, USA’s Roscoe Hill was desperately unlucky to lose to Nijat Huseynov of Azerbaijan.
Hill, the 2021 world championships silver medallist, sent his opponent to the ground with a devastating right cross in the first round. But he was seemingly penalised for boxing on the back foot for the rest of the contest, with the victory and Olympic quota being secured by Huseynov.
USA fans did have something to cheer about, however, with Omari Jones securing an Olympic quota courtesy of a nail-biting split decision win over India’s Nishant Dev in the men’s 71kg.
The bout was close, and a cut opened on Jones’ face in the third round, but he was able to be aggressive enough to get the win and secure a quota. Jones’ win was the only one for the United States on Monday.
“As you can see I’m cut, but I made sure I got the job done.”
Now, if selected, his goal for Paris 2024 is simple:“Win a gold medal. Win that gold medal.”
Elsewhere in the women’s division, Maxi Carina Kloetzer (Germany), Sabina Bobokulova (Uzbekistan), and Olympic bronze medallist Ingrid Valencia (Colombia) joined Filipino Villegas in obtaining Olympic quotas at 50kg.
Next up, Alessia Mesiano (Italy) beat Miroslava Jedinakova (Slovakia) by unanimous decision in the 60kg final to make it four quota spots secured out of four for Italy.
In the men’s ranks, Juanma Lopez De Jesus (Puerto Rico), 2020 bronze medalist Saken Bibossinov (Kazakhstan), and Alejandro Claro (Cuba), joined Huseynov in securing Olympic quotas at 51kg.
Jude Gallagher (Ireland), Makhmud Sabyrkhan (Kazakhstan), Yilmar Leandro Gonzalez Landazury (Colombia), and Luiz Oliveira (Brazil) secured Olympic quotas at 57kg.
Aslanbek Shymbergenov (Kazakhstan), Rami Mofid Kiwan (Bulgaria), and Asadkhuja Muydinkhujaev (Uzbekistan) joined USA’s Jones in securing Olympic quotas at 71kg.
Turabek Khabibullaev (Uzbekistan), Pylyp Akilov (Hungary), Kaan Aykutsun (Turkiye) and Nurbek Oralbay (Kazakhstan) secured quotas at 80kg.
As National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games, athletes' participation at the Paris Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Paris 2024. Click here to see the official qualification system for each sport.