“Binigay ko na lahat dahil gusto kong makabawi dito sa Asian Games,” said Albania, who had a forgettable stint in last year’s world championships in Barbados where she was booted right in her first fight by a rival from Turkey.

“Gusto kong patunayan at ide-dedicate kay Mr. MVP ang kampanya ko dito,” said Albania, referring to Manny V. Pangilinan, the Smart-PLDT chief who is also the chairman of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (Abap).

Albania went 2-0 right in the first round where, according to Abap executive director Ed Picson, the Kazakh immediately felt Albania’s punching power and had to backtrack the rest of the fight.

“It was obvious Annie hurt the Kazakh right in the first round,” said Picson, who noted Albania’s relentless stand which is typical of the Physical Education graduate at the University of the East.

Albania’s right crosses effectively hit their marks. She unleashed two more in the second round to go up 5-2, allowing the Kazakh to score with two left crosses of her own.

The Filipina also uncorked a trademark lunging straight in the third round, and with another solid right cross hurt Shekerbekova for a standing eight-count.

Boxing is assured of a bronze medal courtesy of Rey Saludar (52 kg), who advanced to the semifinals over Nepal’s Puran Rai via a referee-stopped contest victory at 1:45 of the first round. He goes for a slot for the November 24 gold-medal match against Katsuaki Susa of Japan.

Saludar’s brother Victorio also on Saturday night made the quarterfinals following a 12-3 victory over Turkmenistan’s Zarip Jumayev in the 46-49 kg class. Also eyeing a podium finish is Wilfredo Lopez (69 kg), who eliminated Pakistan’s Arshad Hussainn also 12-5.

Victorio takes on India’s Amandeep Singh and Lopez climbs the ring against Mongolia’s Jargal Otgonjargal on Monday night.

The boxers kept the flag afloat during the weekend when Filipinos in other fronts, particularly golf, taekwondo and tennis, crumbled one after the other.

Filipino jins continued to find the Asian Games gold medal so elusive and settled for four bronze medals—Olympian Tshomlee Go (under-63 kg class), John Paul Lizardo (under 54-kg), Paul Romero (under-54 kg) and Elaine Kirstie Alora (under-73 kg).

Miguel Tabuena, the leader in the first two days when the rest of the field couldn’t solve the Dragon Lake Golf Club course, clinched the Philippines’ second silver medal after Warren Kiamco’s in 9-ball doubles in men’s individual play of golf.

But with six more days on the Guangzhou calendar and the country’s hopes now focuses on boxing and hopefully on karatedo—which starts on Wednesday—Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose Cojuangco Jr. kept Team Philippines’ morale alive.

“We are doing well but we have not been getting the breaks in some disciplines,” said Cojuangco of the country’s performance that so far has produced two gold, two silver and eight bronze medals. The contingent, composed of 188 athletes, is competing in 29 of the 43 sports on the Guangzhou program.

Before Delfin Boholst became the second casualty in boxing—the first was Charly Suarez—with a 1-8 loss to Mongolian Tuvshinbat Byamba on Friday, 14th seed Cecil Mamiit lost to No. 3 seed Go Soeda of Japan, 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, and Treat Conrad Huey bowed to Tatsuma Ito also of Japan, 4-6,4-6, in tennis’s men’s singles.

In wrestling on Sunday, Margarito Angana suffered an injury during his match against Iraq’s Muhammed Alsaede. Angana was leading 3-2 before the 55-kg men’s Greco Roman fight was stopped in favor of the Iraqi.

The host athletes became even more unreachable after nine days of competitions. With 145 gold medals, the Chinese broke away further from Korea (53) and Japan (30). Iran had 10 gold medals to show, followed by Hong Kong-China with seven gold medals, the same output by Thailand which made a killing during the weekend.

Jun Lomibao, Business Mirror