Paris Olympics 2024 bronze medalist Nesthy Petecio of boxing receives the President’s Award from the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA). –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Nesthy Petecio is confident that boxing will still be part of the Los Angeles Olympics 2028, where she seeks to finally capture the elusive gold.
With boxing’s fate still up in the air depending on the International Olympic Committee’s decision, Petecio is approaching her busy 2025 with optimism, hoping it will be her road to the next Olympic games.
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READ: Nesthy Petecio eyes one more shot at elusive Olympics gold
“That’s for sure. For me, I’m 100 percent sure that boxing will be in the Olympics in LA,” Petecio told reporters in Filipino after sharing the President’s Award with fellow Paris Olympics bronze medalist Aira Villegas in the Philippine Sportswriters Association Awards on Monday night at Manila Hotel.
“If I’m given the chance and qualify, I’ll keep pushing and pushing until we bring home the gold.”
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“Walang hinto hanggang walang ginto (No stopping until we get the gold), ” she added.
The 32-year-old boxer, who earned silver in Tokyo 2020 and settled for bronze last year in Paris, is putting a premium on intensive preparation for her to reach her goal in Los Angeles.
“It really depends on training. And of course, I want the Filipino people to enjoy every match I play. Even when I watched my performance in Paris, I was honestly amazed. Hopefully, I can improve even more and add more combinations next time,” she said.
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Petecio is honored to share the stage with her fellow Paris Olympians and their predecessors, who were honored at the awards night.
“I feel so blessed and happy that the hard work I’ve put in over the years has been recognized again,” she said. “This recognition brings me pride once more, especially after representing in Paris. It’s really heartwarming because we now truly understand each other; we know each other’s personalities so well. It feels like a reunion from Paris. Even those who competed in Tokyo were there, and our bond as athletes grew even stronger here.”
Petecio will compete in the World Championship in England from September 4-14 before her bid for a third Southeast Asian Games gold in November.
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“To all the youth dreaming of becoming part of the national team, just take it one step at a time. Don’t rush or try to do everything all at once because you might stumble or get overwhelmed,” she said. “Find what you truly want, where you feel most comfortable. As Kobe Bryant said, if you love what you’re doing, it becomes easier to do the hard things.”
