RP cabinet breaks to cheer local pugilist
RP cabinet breaks to cheer local pugilist
MANILA (Agencies): Government affairs took a back seat at a
cabinet meeting here Wednesday as President Fidel Ramos ordered
television sets wheeled in to watch boxer Mansueto Velasco slug
his way closer to the Philippines' first ever Olympic gold medal.
The pint-sized light flyweight did not disappoint. With the
Filipino leader's wife, Amelita Ramos, dancing in the Atlanta
stands, he was assured of at least a bronze with a 20-10 points
victory over Hamid Berhili of Morocco.
"At the end of the cabinet meeting we all stood in standing
ovation to cheer Mansueto Velasco," he said, adding that a woman
presidential palace liaison officer with the Senate provided a
"very accurate and exciting account" of the match.
Even if he lost in the semifinals, his bronze would only be
the fifth medal brought home by Filipino Olympians, the latest
having been won by older brother Roel Velasco -- also a light
flyweight -- at the Barcelona Olympics.
However, kid brother Velasco will be hoping to at least equal
or even better the Filipinos' best ever finish -- a silver won by
featherweight Anthony Villanueva at the Tokyo Olympics. Velasco
will next fight Spain's Rafael Lozano for a place in the final.
Ramos vowed to watch the quarterfinal bout of the other
surviving Filipino boxer as well -- Hiroshima Asian Games gold
medalist Elias Recaido, who faces a heavily favored Cuban
flyweight.
Top job
Meanwhile in Bangkok, the two Thai boxers who punched their
way into the semifinals at the Olympic Games are carrying more
than the medal hopes of the country on their shoulders, military
officers said yesterday.
A gold medal for either fighter could give a high-profile
boost to Thailand's deputy army commander and help him move into
the top military job in September, the officers said.
General Chetta Thanajaro is chairman of Thailand's Amateur
Boxing Association, and a gold medal in Atlanta for either Thai
boxer would improve his chances of becoming army chief when the
current commander retires, they said.
Chetta is one of two men widely tipped to be named army
commander -- the most powerful job in Thailand's politically
influential armed forces -- in the annual reshuffle next month.
The other is Supreme Command Chief of Staff, General Mongkol
Ampornpisit.
"While the boxers are competing for the gold medals in
Atlanta, the generals are competing for the golden opportunity
back home," one senior officer told Reuters.
"A Thai boxer winning a gold medal will definitely boost
Chetta's chances," he said, speaking anonymously.
Thailand's Somluck Kamsing is through to the semifinals in the
featherweight division and Vichai Rachanont is in the
bantamweight semifinal.