Meet Nesthy Petecio, the 32-year-old featherweight boxer from Davao City, Philippines whose fiery drive has put her on the road for gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Petecio’s career reached a historic milestone at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where she became the first Filipina to earn an Olympic boxing medal. That silver medal performance was not only a personal triumph but also a significant achievement for Filipino boxers, as she was the first Filipina to win an Olympic medal since 1996. She dedicated that medal to her coach, family, God and country.
After securing an Olympic quota for the Philippines at the Road to Paris 1st World Qualification Tournament in Busto Arsizio, Italy, Petecio has her eyes set on bringing home the gold at the Paris 2024 Games.
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Born into poverty, boxing in inter-barangay competitions became a financial lifeline for her and her family. Her ascent into stardom began when, as an 11-year-old, Nesthy Petecio fought and won against a male boxer despite a significant difference in size and experience. By the time she was 15, she had already earned a spot on the Filipino national boxing team, and by 2011, she had won a silver medal in the bantamweight division of the 2011 Southeast Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia. Three years later, Petecio claimed a silver medal at her first world championship tournament, a match that established her as a formidable contender on the international stage.
Despite these early successes, Petecio has faced various setbacks throughout her boxing career, including a failed bid to qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympics. Rather than retiring in the face of difficulty, she displayed resilience. In 2019, she made a triumphant comeback by defeating Russia’s Ludmilla Vornstova, winning her first world championship.
An out lesbian, Petecio is “proud to be part of the LGBTQ community.” Wearing her Pride pin at the post-fight presser, she said “Para rin po sa LGBTQ community ang laban na ‘to. Sulong, laban! (This win is for the LGBTQ community. Let’s go, fight!)” Later she left listeners with inspiring words, saying, “Whatever gender we may identify ourselves as, as long as we have a dream, we have to keep fighting and set aside those who try to doubt us or pull us down.”
Nesthy Petecio’s journey as a world-class boxer is an inspiring story of exceptional athleticism, courage that has far-reaching effects on LGBTQ AAPI representation at the Olympics. For GLAAD Media Institute alumna and current Asian Athlete ambassador to Pride House Paris Amazin LeTHi, “Petecio’s presence on the global stage serves as an inspiration. It shows young LGBTQ Asians that they too can achieve greatness in sports, encouraging them to pursue their dreams without fear of discrimination.”
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The next chapter in Petecio’s journey–the road to gold–is well underway. After she defeated India’s Jaismine Lamboria in Women’s Boxing 57 kg, the darling of the Philippines has brought herself one step closer to making history for her nation and LGBTQ community as an Olympic gold medalist.
Join us on Tuesday, August 2nd at 2:00 p.m. ET to cheer on Nesthy Petecio as she takes on France’s Amina Zidani in Women’s Boxing 57 kg Round of 16.
Tune into NBC, Telemundo, and USA Network to watch your favorite competitors vie for the gold. On streaming, the Paris 2024 Olympics will also be available on Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.