Olympics aspirants begin quest in Palawan boxfest

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY – A total of 224 young boxers arrived in this striking paradise city Sunday to compete in the Smart-Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (Abap) National Amateur Boxing Championship starting Monday at the Puerto Princesa gym. Billed as the “Battle of the Bests," the five-day tournament features the talent of the survivors in the four regional championships which Abap hosted in Tayabas, Quezon, Ormoc City, Panabo City and Mandaluyong City last year. Those who did not win but showed a lot of promise were also invited since the competition also serves as the tryout for the RP youth squad in the 2010 Singapore Youth Olympics in August and, possibly, in the 2012 London Olympics. The qualifying tournament for the Singapore Youth Olympics is set in Baku, Azerbaijan in April.

The competitors will be divided into four age groups with eight to nine weight classes each for boys and girls. Although the school-based (11-12 years old) and kids (12-13 years old) divisions are expected to generate attention, Abap executive director Ed Picson said the junior (14-16 years old) and youth (17-18 years old) divisions will be crucial since majority of the discoveries will come from those age brackets. Picson said national coaches Patricio Gaspi, Nolito Velasco, Romeo Brin and Glicero “Boy" Catolico will be on the sidelines to assess the potential of the young boxers as well as Abap president Ricky Vargas and secretary-general Patrick Gregorio. “This tournament will be the battle of the bests," Picson said. “We don’t want to miss the opportunity of discovering another (Olympic silver medalist) Onyok Velasco or (two-time Olympian) Harry Tañamor. Our (Singapore Youth) Olympic campaign depends on the outcome of this tournament." Picson added that Abap’s talent identification program has produced Charly Suarez, who later became one of the five pugs who won the gold medal in the 25th Southeast Asian Games. “He worked his way up," he said. “He was part of the youth team for two to three years before winning the gold in Laos." Expected to dominate the talent-laden field are bets from powerhouse provinces like Davao, Cebu, Negros Occidental, Quezon and home province Palawan, which produced prolific boxers like Romeo Brin and Josie Gabuco. - GMANews.TV