SPORTS FACTS AND FIGURES 34: NESTHY PETECIO ADVANCES TO SEMIFINALS IN THE BOXAM ELITE TOURNAMENT IN SPAIN

Nesthy Petecio.

Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Nesthy Petecio thrashed France's Sthelyn Grosy, 4-1, to enter into the semifinals of the women’s 57-kilogram category of the Boxam Elite Tournament in La Nucia in Alicante, Spain.

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The 31-year-old Petecio will skirmish with Switzerland's Ana Marija Milisic, who pounded Hungary's Rebeka Dobos, 5-0, and progressed further to the next round.

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The other semifinalists in Petecio’s division were Chinese Taipei’s Huang Hsiao-Wen, who defeated Hungary’s Szabina Szucs, and Spain’s Jenifer Fernandez Romero, who pummeled Kazakhstan’s Karina Ibragimova, 4-1.

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The other Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Carlo Paalam was unlucky as he was assailed by Cuba's Ewart Andres Marin Hernandez in an upsetting 3-2 loss in the men’s 57kg division.

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Paalam will try to redeem himself in future qualifiers for the Paris Games. The 2024 World Qualification Tournaments are scheduled for February 29 – March 12 in Busto Arsizio, Italy and May 23 – June 3 in Bangkok, Thailand.

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Still in contention with Petecio and has advanced to the next round were 2016 Rio Olympian Rogen Ladon (men’s 51kg), Aira Villegas (women’s 50kg) and Hergie Bacyadan (women’s 75kg) hoping to give glory the the flag and country.

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The Philippine boxing team is using this tournament as a tune up for the qualification tournaments on the way to the Paris Olympics on July 26 - August 11.

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Here are the rosters of the starters and reserves for the 2024 All-Star Game on February 18 in Indianapolis.

Eastern Conference All-Stars

Starters:

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks (team captain)

Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers

Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics

Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers

Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks

Reserves:

Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat

Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic

Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics

Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks

Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers

Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers

Julius Randle, New York Knicks

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Western Conference All-Stars

Starters:

LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers (team captain)

Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns

Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets

Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder

Reserves:

Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns

Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers

Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves

Paul George, LA Clippers

Kawhi Leonard, LA Clippers

Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves

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Sports History: February 3, 2006. Laila Ali, the daughter of The Greatest Muhammad Ali, defeated Gwendolyn O'Neil in her last fight. She would retire with an undefeated record of 24-0.