MANILA, Philippines – Nesthy Petecio apologized for falling short in securing a spot in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics after crashing out of the quarterfinals in the 2020 Asia and Oceania Olympic Boxing Qualifiers. 

Reaching the semifinals would have earned the Filipina an Olympic berth, but she suffered a split decision loss to Japanese Sena Irie in their women’s featherweight clash in Amman, Jordan, on Monday, March 9.

“I’m sorry I lost,” Petecio wrote in Filipino on Facebook. “One more push and I would have made it.” 

Petecio beat Irie in 2019 on the way to claiming the gold medal in the world championships and becoming the second Filipina boxing world champion. 

But the Japanese got her redemption with 4 of the 5 judges scoring in her favor as she punched her ticket to Tokyo. 

“If you’re all hurt and disappointed, just think how I feel and how regretful I am,” the 27-year-old Davao del Sur native said. 

“The pain is worse than a breakup and being fooled by your lover,” she added, filling her post with several crying face and broken heart emoticons.  

Petecio, fortunately, still has another chance to make her first Olympics as she competes in the World Olympic Qualifying Tournament that will be staged in Paris, France, from May 13 to 20.

“To all my bashers, rejoice for now,” she ended her post with a smiling face emoji. – Rappler.com