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The
Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (Abap)
remains steadfast in its target of having four Filipino
boxers in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
This,
after Abap announced yesterday the composition of the
team the will vie in the Asian Olympic Boxing qualifying
tournament from March 16 to 24 in Astana, Kazakhstan.
They are
Doha Asian Games gold medalist bantamweight Joan
Tipon, lightweight Genebert Basadre,
light-flyweight Godfrey Castro, featherwight Orlando
Tacuyan and light-welterweight Delfin Boholst.
 So
far, only flyweight Harry Tañamor has booked a ticket to
the quadrennial meet in August. But Abap
secretary-general Roger Fortaleza said they are looking
to add three more pugs there through the Kazakhstan
qualifier.
“We’re
still confident that we can have two or three more
boxers to qualify in the Olympics,” said
Fortaleza.
“And with that, the chance of winning our first Olympic
gold remains as strong.”
The
Kazakhstan qualifier is the last avenue open for the
Filipino boxers, to Beijing, deemed as the country’s
best hope to end the age-old drought.
Light-flyweight Violito Payla, also a gold winner in the
2006 Asiad, was supposed to be in the PLDT/Smart-backed
team, but was removed from the roster after partially
tearing the rotator cuff in his left shoulder during
training in Baguio City last week.
“They
are all capable of making it to the Olympics, as well as
winning the gold. We just hope that we’ll have the
breaks we need to achieve our goal,” added Fortaleza.
Medalists in the
Kazakhstan
tournament will automatically earn slots to the Beijing
Games.
In a
statement, Abap said the composition of the lineup was
reached after a lengthy deliberation of the coaching
staff, headed by Cuban coaches Enrique Steyners-Tissert,
Dagoberto Rojas-Scott and Abap sports psychologist Dr.
Francis Santa Maria.
It added
that the decision was based on five criteria “that made
selection logical and reasonable choices. These are
international performance, local performance, boxer’s
personal character, including discipline and training
ethics, opposition’s profile, and the ability and
willpower to win the gold medal.”
Joining
Tissert in the coaching staff of the RP PLDT/Smart team
are national coaches Patricio Gaspi and Nolito Velasco.
The team
departs for Astana on March 11 and will have five days
to acclimatize on freezing temperatures in time for the
March 16 opening-day rites. |
