By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The coach of boxing silver medalist Nesthy Petecio has received praise from Bago City Mayor Nicholas Yulo following their success in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Nolito “Boy” Velasco, who hails from Bago City, was congratulated by Mayor Nicholas Yulo for his work in coaching Petecio.

“As we congratulate Nesthy Petecio for giving the nation its second Tokyo 2020 Olympics medal, winning silver, we also would like to congratulate her coach, Nolito “Boy” Velasco, our kasimanwa from Brgy. Atipuluan, to whom Nesthy would like to dedicate the gold medal if she was successful in the women’s featherweight finals,” Yulo said.

Velasco was instrumental in the successful bid of his brothers Roel (1992 Barcelona bronze) and Onyok (1996 Atlanta silver) in the Olympics and now with Petecio who nailed her legacy as the first Filipina Olympic boxing medalist.

Petecio lost to Japanese boxer Sena Irie via unanimous decision last Tuesday, although she managed to get the Philippines a second medal in the Olympics following the success of weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz./DGB, WDJ