THE road to Olympic glory is never easy. And with that in mind, Mark Anthony Barriga, the country?s lone bet to the boxing competitions of the 2012 London Olympics, jumpstarts his preparation with eagle-eyed focus.
The Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (Abap) awaits the decision of the Association of International Boxing Association (AIBA), the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and London organizing committee for its request to give another Filipino boxer Charley Suarez a wildcard entry to the Olympics.
While that is pending, Barriga and Suarez, are training hard under the close supervision of coach Roel Velasco at the ALA Gym.
?Gusto namin ma-test ang preparasyon namin against the professional boxers. Para masanay na sila sa power punches ng mga pro. Gusto rin naming ma-testing ang speed at i-apply to sa sparring. Ito ang program plan ni sir Ed Piczon (ABAP executive director),? said Velasco, who was a member of the Philippine team to the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Barriga, who turned 19 last Monday, was the focus of the training.
?Training lang gyud ko og maayo. Wala lang nako huna-hunaa ang pressure sa dula.
Kaning pag-anhi namo sa ALA Gym purpose ani kay aron masanay na ko sa mga power punches aron inig adto sa Olympics ready na ko,? said Barriga, who is from Panabo City of Davao del Norte.
Barriga is the youngest Philippine Olympic boxer.
For the August games, Barriga promised no medal but his dedication and his best to make his parents and country proud.
?Dili nako masulti kon unsa nga medal ang akong madala pauli. Kay boxing man ni, anybody?s game ? pautakay, pakusganay og pagulangay. Ako kuwang pa gyud ko og experience. 19 years old lang ko unya ang akong mga kontra mga guwang na pero ang akong ma promise nga buhaton nako ang tanan makaya para sa akong pamilya,? he said.
Yesterday, Barriga sparred with flyweight campaigner Rey Morales who is heavier and taller by at least four inches.
Barriga started slow but when he after a few hits, he started to display his edge and connected combinations on Morales? body and head in the entire four rounds.
?Mas pabor ko kon taas akong kontra kay magami nako ang akong speed,? Barriga said.
Next week, the team will be in Cagayan de Oro to continue his training before leaving for London.
At his young age, all he thinks is how he could help his family with boxing.
?Gusto nako nga makatabang ko sa akong ginikanan. Akong ibalik nila ang ilang gihatag nako bisan sa gamay lang nga paagi. Kani akong paningkamot para sa akong pamilya,? said Barriga.
His love for boxing started when he was in Grade 5 where he had to run two kilometers everyday and skip the last subject at school just to train. He however continued to study until he chose to stop when he joined the national team.
?Dili man sad nga wala koy naabot bisan nagboxing ko. Naka-abot man kog second year college sa wala pa ko nakuha sa Philippine team,? he revealed.
Barriga, who fights in the 49kgs class have brought home the gold medal in the Sydney Jackson Memorial tournament in Uzbekistan ? one in 2010 and the other was just last May.
He also reached the quarterfinals of the World Juniors tournament and another quarterfinal finish in the World Champions in Azerbaijan last year that earned him a slot to the London Olympics.
?Karon no.8 rank ko sa world pero kaning tanan dili nako ni mahimo kon wala ang mga trainer nako nga sila si Elmer Pamisa, Sonny Doliente, Romeo Desaville, Diding Mancao, Eric Mancao, Jelly Mancao Generose Peracele ug Edwin Pardillo ug nila ni Congressman Tonyboy Florendo ug Anton Lagdameo,? Barriga said thankfully.
