ASTANA, Kazakhstan. – Light flyweight Harry Tanamor will be
the country’s lone representative in the boxing competition of the Beijing
Olympics in August.
Flyweight Godfrey Castro, the country’s last remaining hope
for another Olympic berth, absorbed a 6-13 beating from Indian Kumar Jintender
late Sunday in the final Asian Olympic Boxing Qualifying Tournament here,
leaving the five-man Smart-PLDT boxing team with two consolation bronze medals.
Castro, a 24-year-old Armyman from Cadiz City still smarting
from his sorry 3-25 defeat to G. Doniyarov of Uzbekistan in the semifinals on
Saturday, fell prey to the quick-moving Indian who controlled the match right
from the start, taking a 6-3 lead en route to the third Olympic ticket up for
grabs in the division.
"Sorry po talaga. Talaga po siguro na sinadyang hanggang
bronze lang ako," Castro said. "Talagang talo po ako ngayon, pero dapat ay
nanalo na ako kahapon."
Castro’s lopsided defeat to Doniyarov left a bad taste in the
mouths of even local aficionados here.
Tanamor won a silver medal in the World Championships in
Chicago last year that served as his ticket for the Beijing Games.
"Talo talaga. Na-control kaagad ng kalaban ang first round
kaya medyo nasira na ang diskarte. Naghabol si Castro pero talagang mabilis at
matangkad ‘yung kalaban kaya ginulangan na tayo. Sayaw-suntok-atras-takbo ang
ginawa. Napagod si Castro sa kahahabol," coach Pat Gaspi said.
"Maganda ang ipinakita ni Castro. Hindi siya nagkulang sa
laro, kaya lang mukhang apektado siya nung talo sa Uzbek. Mukhang hind maalis sa
isip niya na natalo siya nung Sabado."
The five-man RP Smart-PLDT Team, which consoled itself with
two bronze medals from Castro and lightweight Genebert Basadre, leaves for
Manila via the lone available flight out of this city on Tuesday night and will
arrive at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Wednesday afternoon.
The three other members of the team—featherweight Orlando
Tacuyan Jr., bantamweight Joan Tipon and light welterweight Delfin Boholst—failed
to reach to the quarterfinals with Tipon, the country’s best bet, losing in his
first bout.
