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Nesthy Petecio: biography, family, Olympic dreams and humble upbringing in the Philippines
- The 29-year-old has smashed her way into Tokyo Games’ gold medal match in the women’s featherweight division
- Petecio started boxing at the age of seven and, like most of her compatriots, idolises Manny Pacquaio
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After breaking its almost century-long wait for gold via Hidilyn Diaz in weightlifting, the Philippines will be adding more Olympic hardware to its trophy cabinet in Tokyo this week.
On Tuesday, Nesthy Petecio will collect either a gold or silver. She faces Japan’s Sena Irie in the women’s featherweight division (54-57kg) final at the famed Kokugikan Arena. Hopes are also high for Eumir Marcial, who demolished Armenian Arman Darchinyan in his quarter-final middleweight bout on Sunday, knocking him out in the first round.
Petecio blitzed Congo’s Marcelat Sakobi and Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan in the preliminary rounds, before thrashing Colombia’s Yeni Marcela Arias Castaneda. The 29-year-old then beat Italian Irma Testa in the semi-final to set up a chance to achieve something her role model, Manny Pacquiao, never managed: represent and win an Olympic medal for the Philippines.
From borrowing money to buy meals and facing boys as a junior, to overcoming depression after being knocked out in a fight and then breaking up with her girlfriend, here’s what you need to know about the woman about to be crowned with Olympic gold or silver.
Biography
Nesthy Alcayde Petecio was born on April 11, 1992, in Davao City, south Philippines. She lives in Baguio, Luzon, where she is coached by Nolito Velasco and Reynaldo Galido. She is listed at 1.58m and fights in an orthodox stance. According to BoxRec, her record is 64 wins, 22 losses (1 KO).
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