Paris 2024: Aira Villegas takes bronze after semis loss to Turkish foe | ABS-CBN
ADVERTISEMENT
Welcome, Kapamilya! We use cookies to improve your browsing experience. Continuing to use this site means you agree to our use of cookies. Tell me more!
Paris 2024: Aira Villegas takes bronze after semis loss to Turkish foe
Paris 2024: Aira Villegas takes bronze after semis loss to Turkish foe
ABS-CBN News
Published Aug 07, 2024 04:47 AM PHT
|
Updated Aug 07, 2024 05:20 AM PHT
Philippines' Aira Villegas (in blue) punches Morocco's Yasmine Mouttaki in the women's 50kg preliminaries round of 32 boxing match during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the North Paris Arena, in Villepinte on July 28, 2024. Mohd Rasfan, AFP
Philippines' Aira Villegas (in blue) punches Morocco's Yasmine Mouttaki in the women's 50kg preliminaries round of 32 boxing match during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the North Paris Arena, in Villepinte on July 28, 2024. Mohd Rasfan, AFP(UPDATED) In just her very first Olympics stint, Aira Villegas has already made history.
(UPDATED) In just her very first Olympics stint, Aira Villegas has already made history.
The Filipina boxer will be going home with a bronze medal after reaching the semifinals of the women's 50kg division, where she lost via unanimous decision to Türkiye's Buse Naz Çakıroğlu.
The Filipina boxer will be going home with a bronze medal after reaching the semifinals of the women's 50kg division, where she lost via unanimous decision to Türkiye's Buse Naz Çakıroğlu.
Çakıroğlu, the third-seed in the weight class, overwhelmed Villegas in their semis bout on Tuesday at the Roland-Garros Stadium (early Wednesday in Manila) to advance to the gold medal match, where she will be seeking to improve upon the silver medal that she won in the Tokyo Games.
Çakıroğlu, the third-seed in the weight class, overwhelmed Villegas in their semis bout on Tuesday at the Roland-Garros Stadium (early Wednesday in Manila) to advance to the gold medal match, where she will be seeking to improve upon the silver medal that she won in the Tokyo Games.
Despite falling short of the gold medal, it is still a superb campaign for Villegas who is making her Summer Games debut. She adds to the Philippines' haul in Paris, after Carlos Yulo won two gold medals in men's artistic gymnastics.
Despite falling short of the gold medal, it is still a superb campaign for Villegas who is making her Summer Games debut. She adds to the Philippines' haul in Paris, after Carlos Yulo won two gold medals in men's artistic gymnastics.
ADVERTISEMENT
Villegas is only the second female boxer to win an Olympic medal for the Philippines, after Nesthy Petecio's silver in the Tokyo Games. Petecio is also assured of a medal in Paris, having reached the semis of the 57kg division.
Villegas is only the second female boxer to win an Olympic medal for the Philippines, after Nesthy Petecio's silver in the Tokyo Games. Petecio is also assured of a medal in Paris, having reached the semis of the 57kg division.
After winning her first three assignments in the Olympics, Villegas found few answers for Türkiye's Çakıroğlu in the semis.
After winning her first three assignments in the Olympics, Villegas found few answers for Türkiye's Çakıroğlu in the semis.
She was on the back foot almost immediately, and a standing eight-count in the first round put the Filipina behind on the scorecards, with one judge giving Çakıroğlu a 10-8 score.
She was on the back foot almost immediately, and a standing eight-count in the first round put the Filipina behind on the scorecards, with one judge giving Çakıroğlu a 10-8 score.
Down in the cards after two rounds, Villegas ramped up the pressure in the third and landed some eye-catching punches, but Çakıroğlu was a step ahead and countered with her own shots, including a right uppercut that visibly knocked back Villegas head.
Down in the cards after two rounds, Villegas ramped up the pressure in the third and landed some eye-catching punches, but Çakıroğlu was a step ahead and countered with her own shots, including a right uppercut that visibly knocked back Villegas head.
Çakıroğlu won all five scorecards, with scores of 30-27 three times and 30-26 twice.
Çakıroğlu won all five scorecards, with scores of 30-27 three times and 30-26 twice.
Çakıroğlu will face China's Wu Yu, the top-seed in the division, for the gold. Wu had beaten Kazakhstan's Nazym Kyzaibay in their own semis match.
Çakıroğlu will face China's Wu Yu, the top-seed in the division, for the gold. Wu had beaten Kazakhstan's Nazym Kyzaibay in their own semis match.
The 29-year-old Villegas assured herself of a medal when she stunned hometown bet Wassila Lkhadiri of France in the quarterfinals last Saturday, claiming a 3-2 split decision to silence the boisterous crowd at the North Paris Arena.
The 29-year-old Villegas assured herself of a medal when she stunned hometown bet Wassila Lkhadiri of France in the quarterfinals last Saturday, claiming a 3-2 split decision to silence the boisterous crowd at the North Paris Arena.
Before that, she defeated Algeria's Roumaysa Boualam in the round-of-16 and Yasmine Mouttaki of Morroco in the round-of-32.
Before that, she defeated Algeria's Roumaysa Boualam in the round-of-16 and Yasmine Mouttaki of Morroco in the round-of-32.
RELATED VIDEOS:
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
