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| Ian Clark Bautista (right) photo (c) watchmendaily.com |
WITH an aim to bring pride and honor to Negros Occidental, four Negrense boxers will don Philippine colors during the 28th South East Asian Games kicks off in Singapore on June 5 to 16.
Bago City-born Roden Ladon (49 kg) and Junel Cantancio (60 kg), and Binalbagan's Ian Clark Bautista (52 kg) are in the men's team while Bacolod City's Riza Pasuit (57 kg) is included in the women's side.
Completing the Alliance Boxing Association of the Philippines (Abap) team are Mario Fernandez of Cagayan de Oro for the 56 kg; Eumir Felix Marcial of Zamboanga City, 69 kg; and North Cotabato's Wilfredo Lopez for the 75 kg; and for the distaff side are Palawan's Josie Gabuco for the 48 kg alongside Ilongga Irish Magno for the 51 kg division; and Nesthey Petecio of Davao del Sur in the 54 kg.
The Philippine boxing team hauled three gold medals, four silvers, and three bronzes in SEA Games' last edition.
Gabuco captured the gold in the women's division as Fernandez and 2012 London Olympic quarterfinalist Mark Anthony Barriga (48 kg) were victorious in the men's category.
The national team also secured four silvers from Bago City's Cantancio and Dennis Galvan (64 kg), and Lopez while Petecio won it for the women's category.
Magno alongside Maricris Igram (51 kg) went home the bronze medal together with Rey Saludar in the men's 52 kg.
In the previous SEA Games, the Philippines ranked seventh over-all in the 11-country games against Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Laos, Brunei, Myanmar, Cambodia and Timor-Leste.
The Philippines finished with 29 golds, 34 silvers and 37 bronzes for a total of 101 medal haul in 2013.
Source: Henry Doble of Sun.Star Bacolod
