PARIS – Nesthy Petecio bowed to Poland’s Julia Szeremeta in a shocking split decision, 1-4, in the semifinals of the women’s 57 kg category at the Olympic boxing event on Wednesday (early Thursday morning Philippine time) at the Roland Garros Stadium.

Despite the stunning loss, Petecio’s Olympic journey remains remarkable.

By securing a bronze, Petecio, who bagged a silver in Tokyo three years ago, became the fourth Filipino athlete to win at least two Olympic medals since the Philippines first participated 100 years ago.

Petecio joins Caloy Yulo, the prolific gymnast who also became the Philippines’ first double Olympic gold medalist, Teofilo Yldefonso (two in swimming) and Hidilyn Diaz (two in weightlifting) in the elite list.

She became the first Philippine boxer to win medals in two consecutive Games.

The Philippine boxing team concluded its campaign in Paris with commendable performances.

Aira Villegas, who absorbed a unanimous decision defeat to Turkey’s Buse Naz Cakiroglu in the semifinals of the women’s 50 kg category, gave the country its other bronze medal.

Petecio’s journey to this point has been inspiring.

Her silver medal win in Tokyo was a historic moment for Philippine boxing, and her performance in Paris, despite falling short of gold, solidified her legacy in the sport.

“Sobrang proud po ako na hanggang ngayon lumalaban ako para sa bayan, sa pamilya, sa pangarap, and sa pangarap ko na ginto,” Petecio told broadcaster One Sports.

“Akala ko akin na ito this time pero sobrang grabe yung tiwala ko sa sarili ko na makukuha ko siya pero medyo hindi tayo pinalad ngayong gabi sa panalo. Pero sobrang thankful pa rin ako kay Lord kasi maganda yung pinakita ko,” she added.

The bout belonged to the younger and unpredictable Polish boxer, who leveraged her aggressiveness to secure a surprise victory, particularly in the decisive third round. Szeremeta’s relentless pressure caught Petecio off guard, mirroring the strategy she employed in her previous bouts.

Petecio, drawing from her extensive experience, started strong.

In the opening round, the 32-year-old effectively countered Szeremeta’s every move, showcasing the skill and poise of a seasoned champion.

However, the Polish boxer turned the tide in the second round, setting the stage for a major reversal.

The final round saw Szeremeta’s aggressiveness paying off. Her rapid combinations and relentless attacks ultimately overwhelmed Petecio.

Despite Petecio’s best efforts, Szeremeta’s unexpected surge in the third round proved decisive.

Szeremeta will now move on to face the top seed in the division, Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yu-ting in the gold medal match. Lin put on a masterclass against Turkish boxer Esra Yıldız Kahraman, winning a 5-0 shutout to advance.

Lin is mired in an Olympic gender together with Algeria’s Khelif. Both fought at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago but there was no controversy at the time and neither won a medal.

Lin and Khelif were disqualified from last year’s world championships after failing gender eligibility tests, but were cleared to compete in Paris.