Paalam headlines world championships squad

OLYMPIC SILVER medalist Carlo Paalam will lead a lean but mean seven-strong Philippine team wading into battle in the World Boxing Championships set Sept. 4 to 14 in Liverpool, England.

Mr. Paalam, who won the silver in Tokyo four years ago but couldn’t snare a medal in Paris last year, left the country Sunday for a mini-training camp in Sheffield, England as part of their preparation for the Liverpool event.

Accompanying Mr. Paalam were Southeast Asian Games medalist Riza Pasuit, Australian consultant Don Abnett, and national team coach Reynaldo Galido.

Mr. Paalam will see action in the men’s 55kg division while Ms. Pasuit competes in the women’s 60kg category.

Ronald Chavez, Jr., who is scheduled to see action in the men’s 70kg category, should join the team as soon as his visa is approved.

Also following suit are Jay Bryan Baricuatro (men’s 50kg), Junmilardo Ogayre (men’s 60kg), Mark Ashley Fajardo (men’s 65kg) and Ofelia Magno (women’s 48kg).

Messrs. Baricuatro and Ogayre will be coming from a training camp in Xinjiang, China while Mr. Fajardo and Ms. Magno join from Bangkok.

Paris bronze winner Aira Villegas was supposed to join the team but is staying behind due to a shoulder injury.

Association of Boxing Alliance in the Philippines secretary-general Marcus Manalo stressed the importance of the Worlds.

“It’s the World Championships, the highest level of competition outside the Olympics, so you want to do well here,” Mr. Manalo on Tuesday told The STAR. “Also, this is the inaugural world championships of World Boxing, the new IF (International Federation) for Olympic-style boxing.” — Joey Villar