Davao Sur prepares hero’s welcome for Nesthy Petecio

Silver medallist Philippines’ Nesthy Petecio poses on the podium with her medal after the women’s feather (54-57kg) boxing final bout during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Kokugikan Arena in Tokyo on August 3, 2021. (Photo by Luis ROBAYO / POOL / AFP)

DAVAO CITY––The Davao del Sur provincial government is now preparing to give Filipina boxer Nesthy Petecio a fitting welcome to honor her winning the silver medal for the women’s boxing featherweight finals at Tokyo Olympics, Gov. Marc Cagas told the Inquirer.

“We will welcome her both with an honor and a reward,” said Cagas, who just assumed the post after his father, the late governor Douglas Cagas, died of COVID-19 in June this year.

“We will give her a fitting welcome for a hero, we will be careful not to violate the COVID-19 protocol,” he said. “We will give her a little cash, just a gesture to let her feel that the province is proud of her,” he added.

Cagas said that as early as December last year, he had been in a gym where Nesthy frequented and where Nesthy practiced her weights. He said a British friend told him that Nesthy had the potential to compete in the international arena, and Cagas had told businessman Ramon Ang about it.

“The mere fact that she was able to compete in the Olympics was already a big deal for us. How much more with the silver medal that she was bringing home?” he said.

He added that he understood how difficult Nesthy’s journey had been considering the current COVID-19 pandemic.

“She deserves all the honor and hero’s welcome considering how difficult her journey had been,” Cagas said, comparing Nesthy’s struggle with that of Olympics gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz.

He said Davao del Sur had been having a hard time dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and the series of lockdowns and quarantine protocols so that everything—including sports—had taken the backseat in terms of attention and budget.

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte also considered Nesthy’s determination and tenacity as something to be inspired by.

“We would like to congratulate Nesthy Petecio on her silver medal finish at the Olympics 2021 in Tokyo,” the mayor said in a statement sent to the Inquirer. “We should look at her victory with pride in our hearts as we should be inspired by her determination and tenacity to win the fight not only for herself but also for our country.”

Nesthy’s mother Priscilla was caught on television sobbing as she addressed her daughter. “For us, your family, you are the winner, we saw it (and we know you won), but we can’t do anything about it because that’s their decision, there will be another fight,” the mother said on television in Cebuano. With a report from Eldie Aguirre

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