Competing in lightflyweight, Barriga booked a ticket to London by landing in the Top 10 of the Olympic-qualifying AIBA World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan last October, providing the bright spot to unproductive campaigns by veteran boxers as well as high-profile bets in basketball and taekwondo.
Long jumper Marestella Torres later joined Barriga as she met the Standard B (6.65 meters) set by the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) for the Games with her winning leap of 6.71 meters in the last SEAG.
Barriga shellacked Romania’s Stefan Caslarov, 12-5, then upstaged 2008 Games bronze medalist Patrick Barnes of Ireland, 20-12, before losing to Zhou Shiming of China, 5-12, in the Round of 16. Shiming won the gold, giving Barriga a free ride as per AIBA rules awarding berths to the two boxers who lost in the Last-16 to the eventual finalists.
Barriga’s qualification made up for the failed bids of touted Guangzhou Asiad flyweight titlist Rey Saludar, who also reached the Last 16 but didn’t get a ticket, and Doha Asiad bantam winner Joan Tipon and SEAG lightweight king Charly Suarez, who lasted as far as the second and first rounds, respectively.
Smart Gilas, the team maintained for the last three years with the goal of making the Olympics for the first time in over 20 years, fell short in the Fiba Asia Men’s Championship in Wuhan, China. The Filipino cagers under Iran’s former Olympic coach Rajko Toroman won all but one of their assignments in the group stage, trounced Chinese Taipei in the quarterfinals, 95-78, but lost to Jordan in the semis, 61-75, kissing their bid for a gold and a London trip goodbye. Gilas suffered a 68-70 setback to Korea in the bronze medal match to bow out of a wild card tournament as well.
Japoy Lizardo and the taekwondo jins, hurt by absence of Olympians Tshomlee Go (retirement) and Toni Rivero (injuries), were also left out. Lizardo, his sister Jyra Marie, Marlon Avenido and Jade Zafra crashed out of the World Olympic Qualification event in Baku last June while a second set composed of Japoy, Camille Manalo, Kristie Alora and Samuel Morrison suffered the same fate in the Asian Qualification last month in Bangkok. Their association is now seeking invitational slots instead.
Pinoy bets will try to make it through via qualifying meets in various fronts next year. Saludar and Co. will vie in the Asian qualifiers in March while Beijing weightlifting campaigner Hidilyn Diaz, currently ranked seventh globally after her performance in last month’s IWF world championships, will seek to formalize her entry to London during their sport’s final tryouts in April.
source by Philippine Star
