Asiad finalist Marcial rekindles hope, hunger for Olympic gold

MANILA, Philippines -- Eumir Marcial said he was close to abandoning his Paris Olympic dream.

Marcial, who brought home the middleweight division’s bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics, on Wednesday admitted that he already wasn't optimistic in returning to the grandest stage of them all.

But his semifinal victory at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China on Wednesday kept alive his dream of going to Paris.

He knocked out Syria’s Ahmad Ghousoon in the second round of their bout to advance to the finals and book a ticket to next year’s Olympics.

“I already lost hope. I was already preparing for my professional career because the division was already scrapped. I already told myself that maybe, the Olympics is not for me,” an emotional Marcial told reporters after his match, as posted by One Sports on X (formerly Twitter.)

“I told myself that I will just focus on my pro career,” he added.

Eumir Marcial defeated Ahmad Ghousoon of Syria in the Men’s 80kg Boxing to advance to the gold medal match and earn himself a spot in Paris 2024. #HangzhouAsianGames #AsianGames pic.twitter.com/zS0inKcnkO

The boxer thanked his family and friends who never doubted him.

“My wife, my family and my friends, they believed in me. They told me that if I can do it, and I have the opportunity, I should do it,” he said.

Marcial also thanked the Lord for guiding him back to the path of the Olympics.

A vicious check hook ended the bout for Marcial against Ghousoon on Wednesday.

He said he already felt that the Syrian boxer was already hurting from his punches.

This is why he just kept the pressure on and finished the match slowly but surely.

Although Marcial already booked an Olympic ticket, he still has Chinese boxer Tanglatihan Tuohetaerbieke to beat for the gold medal of this year’s Asiad.