Facing an experienced foe, boxer Hergie Bacyagan’s Olympic start proved to be too tall of a hurdle to overcome. Though Bacyadan, an Igorot native, embraced the task with courage, she lost to China's top-seeded Li Qian in the women's 75 kg round of the 2024 Paris Olympics at the North Paris Arena.
The 29-year-old boxer, who was competing in his first Olympics, lost by unanimous decision to Qian, a two-time Olympic medalist who won bronze in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and silver in Tokyo three years prior.
Lopsided bout
After the first round, Qian quickly demonstrated why she was the top seed in the women's heavyweight division by putting on combinations that wiped out the Filipino opponent's offense to secure the nod of all five judges.
Qian was still proving to be a challenge for Bacyadan, as the Chinese ace once again dominated the second frame with powerful headshots.
Bacyadan made more of an impression in the third and final round, but Qian prevailed handily, as the Filipino's efforts were insufficient to save the campaign.
Remaining undeterred
In a Facebook post, Bacyadan vowed to return to the Olympic stage following the early exit.
“To the whole Philippines, I’m sorry for letting you down,” Bacyadan wrote in Filipino. “I promise to fight for our country again and do better in the future.”
Being an Olympian is a significant accomplishment in and of itself for Bacyadan. However, she wishes for a different outcome.
“It is sad to think about losing, but I’m grateful that I got to reach the Olympics. The experience of fighting on this stage is huge for me,” said Bacyadan.
