DEPUTY Speaker Robbie Puno, the newly-elected president of the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines, is keen on seeing a Filipino boxer finally winning the gold medal in the Paris Olympic Games next year.
“Our goal is to make it to the Olympics via the Asian qualifying events, and win the gold in Paris,” Puno said during his visit to the ABAP training camp in Baguio City over the weekend.
“At kasama na rin sa pangarap natin na magwagi ng ginto sa Olympics ay ang mai-angat ang buhay ng ating mga boksingero at ng kanilang mga pamilya,” added the new boxing head, whose predecessor, Ed Picson, recently passed away.
ABAP Chairman Ricky Vargas, who accompanied Puno to Baguio, said the boxing body’s target was to win the coveted mint after four Olympic cycles.
“Sinabi namin noon, on the fourth cycle of the Olympics, mananalo tayo ng gold,” Vargas said, addressing the boxers. “‘Yan ang cycle na pinaka-importante, at ‘yan ang cycle ngayon. That’s why the Asian Games (in September) is so important kasi doon kayo magka-qualify. At kaya nating gawin ito,” said Vargas, who served as ABAP chief in 2009.
Also joining Puno, who came with wife and former sportscaster Chiqui Roa Puno, at the ABAP gym were secretary general Marcus Manalo and MVP Sports Foundation officials.
They handed incentives to the boxers who brought home four golds, five silvers and one bronze medal from the 32nd Cambodia Southeast Asian Games last May.
