Nesthy Petecio is now just two wins away from finally bagging that elusive Olympic gold medal, and so far she’s looked superb.
Nesthy Petecio put on a masterful performance against China’s Xu Zichun as she cruised to a unanimous decision win and into the semifinals of the Paris 2024 Olympics women’s 57kg division at the Paris North Arena.
Petecio was just too experienced and savvy for the 28-year-old Xu, who was competing in her first Olympics and looked befuddled at times in the face of the Filipina’s quick combinations and slippery movement. There is a vast gulf in the two fighters’ experience level – Petecio is an Olympics silver medalist and former world champion, while Xu barely clinched the last slot for Paris in the final qualifying tournament and has not medaled in any major international tournament.
For most of the bout, and particularly the first two rounds, the gap was evident as Petecio swept both rounds in all five judges’ scorecards. With the win in the bag, Petecio played it safe in the final round while Xu went head-hunting in a last-ditch attempt to turn it around. Two judges gave the Chinese the third round, but it was for naught.
Petecio has looked on-form so far in Paris, winning her three bouts by a combined score of 14-1. She hopes to sustain her rhythm on early Thursday when she takes on Poland’s 20-year-old prodigy Julia Szeremeta, who has gone on a Cinderella run and has assured her country of its first boxing medal in 32 years.
On Wednesday, light-flyweight Aira Villegas, also already assured of a medal, will look to book her ticket to the championship round against Turkey’s Buse Naz Cakiroglu.
Banner image from AFP.
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