TOKYO—Irish Magno was in her comfort zone against Kenya’s Christine Ongare on Sunday, scoring a convincing 5-0 victory to become the second Filipino to advance to the round-of-16 of the Tokyo Olympics boxing competitions.
Magno was the taller boxer in the women’s flyweight bout and was obviously the more skilled, dizzying Ongare with what the Philippine coaching staff described as “bread and putter punches.”
“Irish pretty much was comfortable with the tactics that she used during sparring,” Team Philippines Coach Don Abnett said. “She punched and moved so well, using bread-and-butter punches.”
For the Team Philippines coaching staff that include Nolito “Boy” Velasco, bread-and-butter punches refer to head and body punches.
“Laban lang po,” Magno told Filipino reporters at the Mixed Zone (interview zone) of the Kokugikan Stadium. “Focused lang and huwag muna tayong mag-aim high.”
Up next for Magno is Thailand’s Jutamas Jitpong, who also advanced to the last 16 following her victory over Algeria’s Roumaysa Boulam, also via a lopsided 5-0 score, on Sunday.
Boulam is no alien to Magno, who she has repeatedly beaten in sparring sessions in the Filipinos’ pre-Games training camp in Thailand.
But Magno said she remains to be cautious.
“Lahat naman ng kalaban dito nag-prepare,” said the 29-year-old Magno. “Pero ginagawan naman ng strategy at paraan nina coach Boy [Velasco] at coach Don [Abnett].”
Magno squares off with Jitpong at 1:24 p.m. (Tokyo time), on July 29.
Nesthy Petecio opened the country’s campaign in boxing on Saturday with her own 5-0 domination of the Republic of the Congo’s Marcelat Sakobi Matshu.
Petecio, the 2019 world champion at Ulan-Ude in Russia, however, expects to have her fists full in the round-of-16 where she is pitted against women’s featherweight top seed Lin Yu-ting of Chinese-Taipei on Wednesday.
Lin, the New Delhi world champion in 2018, drew an opening round bye.
On Monday, Carlo Paalam climbs the ring in a men’s flyweight round-of-32 bout against Ireland’s Brendan Irvine on Monday, while Eumir Felix Marcial, the No. 4 middleweight who drew an opening round, fights on July 29 opposite either Algeria’s Younes Nemouchi or Uganda’s Kavuma David Ssemujju.
Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines President Ricky Vargas hailed Magno and Petecio for their accomplishments this early in the Games.
“We are happy and grateful for this good start,” Vargas said. “Nesthy and Irish showcased their good preparation, determination, and will to win. But the road is long and we all need to hope and pray for continued success.”
“The men start tomorrow [Monday] with Carlo Paalam. We will be with him in prayer and spirit,” Vargas added. “And with Eumir Marcial as well when his turn comes.”
Image courtesy of AP