By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

LONG a steady source of medals for the Philippines in international competitions, boxing delivered once again for the country with a solid medal haul of seven gold, three silver and two bronze medals in the 30th edition of the Southeast Asian Games here.

Leading the golden honor roll are Eumir Felix Marcial, Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam, Rogen Ladon, Josie Gabuco, James Palicte and Charly Suarez.

The seven gold mints were more than half of the 13 gold medals at stake in the Games, with five golds going to Thailand and one to Vietnam.

Mr. Marcial, silver medal winner in the last AIBA World Championships, provided one of the highlights in boxing, winning the 75-kg class (middleweight) with a first-round knockout of Vietnamese Manh Cuong Nguyen on the final day competition on Monday.

The 24-year-old native of Zamboanga initially staggered Mr. Nguyen with a solid left before delivering the finish, a crunching left to the body that had the Vietnamese haplessly going down to the canvas.

Ms. Petecio, for her part, won the gold in the 57-kg class (featherweight) with a 5-0 shutout of Nwe Ni Oo of Myanmar at the competitions held at the Philippine International Convention Center Forum.

Mr. Paalam got the Philippine boxing medal machine going with a 5-0 win over Kornelis Kwangu Langu of Indonesia, followed by a similar 5-0 thrashing scored by Mr. Ladon over Ammarit Yaodam of Thailand. Mr. Palicte also outclassed Van Hai Nguyen of Vietnam, 5-0.

Former world champion Gabuco, meanwhile, was the other lady gold medal winner for Team Philippines, whipping Endang of Indonesia, 5-0.

“There was pressure for us to win because the Games is being held here but we just did what we had to do and I’m happy that I got the win,” said Ms. Petecio, who added the SEA Games gold to the gold medal she won in the 2019 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in October in Russia.

Finishing with silver medals, meanwhile, were Irish Magno (women’s flyweight), Riza Pasuit (women’s lightweight), and Marion Pianar (men’s welterweight).

Ms. Magno lost to Thi Tam Nguyen of Vietnam 1-4 while Ms. Pasuit and Mr. Pianar lost by similar scores of 5-0 against Sudaporn Seesondee and Wuttichai Masuk of Thailand, respectively.

Bronze medals were won by Ian Clark Bautista (men’s bantamweight) and Aira Villegas (women’s bantamweight).

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