Gold-seeking middleweight Eumir Marcial flies out of Colorado Springs en route to Tokyo on Thursday (Friday in Manila) oozing with confidence with lead trainer Ronald Chavez in tow.
Camping out in Colorado Springs since June, Marcial is one of 19 Filipino athletes vying for medals during the 23 July to 8 August Summer Games.
While the other members of the delegation would eventually end up getting eliminated early since they are just token qualifiers, a lot is expected from the 25-year-old southpaw from Zamboanga City.
Marcial, alongside weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, gymnast Carlos Yulo, pole vaulter EJ Obiena, golfers Yuka Saso, Bianca Pagdanganan and Juvic Pagunsan and fellow boxer Nesthy Petecio, are the brightest bets for podium finishes in Japan based on their credentials.
Marcial topped the Asia-Oceania Olympic Qualification Tournament while Diaz also ranks among the best entries since she is the 2016 Rio Olympics silver medalist.
Yulo is likewise a solid hopeful because he is a world champion and Obiena also is put on a pedestal given his meteoric rise.
Chavez, who has presided over Marcial’s training since his arrival there on June 26, feels very good about his ward’s chances of striking gold.
“Eumir is doing great here. Those who have been serving as his sparmates have backed out, even heavier guys who could not endure taking his punches,” said Chavez, a veteran of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
“He is in terrific condition,” said Chavez, who is staying with Marcial in a hotel located 15-minute drive from USA Boxing’s training headquarters.
During a break in his thrice-a-day training, Marcial is often seen by Chavez watching videos of his probable rivals in Tokyo.
Apart from Marcial, other fancied entries in the powerhouse 75 kg class are Ukraine’s Oleksandr Khyzhniak, Russia Gleb Bakshi, Kazakhstan’s Abilkhan Amankul and the United States’ Troy Isley.
