Four Phl boxers bag gold

SUBIC, Philippines – Perfect.

The Philippines went four-of-four as Jade Bornea, Eumir Marcial, James Palicte and Ian Clark Bautista all struck gold at the close of the 2013 ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships at the Subic Gym here yesterday.

Bornea and Palicte escaped with tough wins over Japan’s Kosei Tanaka and China’s Liu Xiao Shuai while Bautista and Marcial pulled off easy wins over Uzbekistan’s Mirazizbek Murzahalilov and Mongolia’s Batzorig Otgonjorgal, respectively, in a blazing finish by the Filipino pugs in the regional youth slugfest.

“I just gave it all even though it’s hard and really painful. It’s really the country that I was thinking of,” said Marcial, a gold-medal winner in the 2011 World Junior Championship in Armenia.

First to deliver was Bornea, a World Youth Championship bronze medalist who bested the heavy-handed Tanaka, 15-13, for the flyweight gold.

“My opponent is strong but I’m in good shape and condition, and I was also a bit patient,” said Bornea, a proud son of General Santos City.

Bautista, who hails from Himamaylan, Negros Occidental who snared a silver medal in the President’s Cup in Indonesia two years ago, climbed the ring next and fashioned out a dominant 19-10 win over Murzahalilov.

Palicte, a Bago City native who trained for only eight days for this weeklong competition, fought Liu tooth and nail before coming through with crucial hits in the final round to emerge a close 17-13 winner.

“He’s strong but I used my experience against him,” said Palicte of Liu.

ABAP secretary-general Patrick Gregorio awarded the gold medals to the victorious Filipino pugs.

“We’re proud of their accomplishments. It’s really a proud moment for the country,” said Gregorio.

The event was backed by MVP Sports Foundation and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority. Other backers were PLDT, Smart, NLEX, Maynilad, Clarktel, Subictel, Department of Tourism, Tourism Promotions Board, Videogear Inc., Exile Lights and Sound, Philippine Olympic Committee, Philippine Sports Commission, Sony Philippines, Coca-Cola Bottlers and Nestle Philippines. (Joey Villar, Philippine Star)