Boxers assure PH of at least 3 more bronzes in Asian Games
FILIPINO light flyweight Mark Barriga (left). INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is now assured of at least three more bronze medals — all from its men’s boxing team — in the 17th Asian Games at the Seonhak Gym in Incheon, South Korea Tuesday night.
Middleweight Wilfredo Lopez capped a rousing night for the Philippine contingent with a TKO win over Shinebayar Narmandakh of Mongolia in the opening round.
Compatriots Mario Fernandez and Mark Anthony Barriga also took care of their respective quarterfinal assignments.
Fernandez scored a unanimous decision over Asian champion Shiva Thapa of India in their bantamweight bout before light flyweight Barriga edged Hasanboy Dusmativ of Uzbekistan by split decision.
The three boxing bets joined lightweight Charly Suarez, who also won his quarterfinals match on Monday, in the semifinals on Thursday.
Fernandez, the 2013 SEA Games silver medalist, is set to take on Zhang Jiawei of China in the semis. The Chinese bagged the silver medal in the 2010 Asiad.
As it stands, the Philippines, officially, has two silvers, both in wushu, and four bronze medals, two in taekwondo and one each in archery and wushu.
The Philippines is in 26th place out of 33 countries in the medals tally and is seventh out of eight in Southeast Asia.
China continues to lead in the standings with 125 gold medals so far.
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