Petecio reaches semis in Alicante; Paalam falls

MANILA, Philippines — Olympic silver medal winner Nesthy Petecio fried French opponent Sthelyn Grosy, 4-1, to advance to the semifinals in the women’s 57-kilogram class of the Boxam Elite Tournament in La Nucia in Alicante, Spain Thursday.

That set the 31-year-old Petecio up against Swiss Ana Marija Milisic, who smashed Hungarian Rebeka Dobos, 5-0.

The other half of the semis in Petecio’s bracket include Chinese Taipei’s Huang Hsiao-Wen, who bested Hungary’s Szabina Szucs, and Spain’s Jenifer Fernandez Romero, who clobbered Kazakhstan’s Karina Ibragimova, 4-1.

But while Petecio advanced, fellow Tokyo Games silver medalist Carlo Paalam was ambushed by Cuban Ewart Andres Marin Hernandez in a heartbreaking 3-2 defeat in the men’s 57kg division.

It denied Paalam a semis date with Wales’ Owain Harris-Allen, who edged Italy’s Francesco Iozia, 3-2.

Paalam should lick his wounds and try to recover quickly to be ready for the coming Olympic world qualifiers.

The first World Qualification Tournament is set Feb. 29 to March 12 in Busto Arzizio, Italy. Those who fail to qualify in Italy will have their last chance at the Paris Games in the second WQT in Bangkok Thailand on May 23 to June 3.