By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Ilongga boxer Irish Magno moves on from her shortened campaign in the just-concluded 2020 Tokyo Olympics as she aims for another Summer Games stint in three years in Paris, France.

According to Magno, her crushing defeat to Thailand’s Jutamas Jitpong in the women’s 48-51 kilogram division round-of-16 was an eye opener for her to improve her ring tactics.

“Siguro may kulang pa sa naging preparation kaya kailangan pang magpursige,” Magno said in an recent interview with Iloilo Sports LANG’s Gametime podcast. “Basta ang mindset ko is walang hihinto hangga’t walang ginto.”

The Janiuay, Iloilo-native fighter said that she was gracious in accepting her defeat to Jitpong as she knew that she did her best to have a great showing on her Olympic debut.

“Accept lang kung ano man ang nangyari dito sa Olympics. Siguro may iba pa talagang purpose si God para sa akin,” Magno said. “Alam ko naman na ginawa ko ang lahat, from trainings and everything, I really did all I can.”

“I can feel in myself naman na nag-improve din ‘yung game ko going into this Olympics. Ibang level kasi ang preparation dito unlike sa Southeast Asian Games or other international boxing tournaments,” she added.

Magno, who turned 30 years old last July 27, did not take Jitpong for granted even if she had beaten the Thai boxer several times as she still made it a point to review the latter’s moves.

“Hindi naman ako nagkumpiyansa. Mas naunahan lang kami,” Magno said. “Pinaghandaan ko siya ng mabuti at pinanood ko ‘yung mga past encounters namin pati ‘yung mga huling fights nya.”

“Ang naging advantage lang siguro ni Jitpong is naging sparring partner ko siya noong nagte-training pa kaming Philippine team sa Thailand so siguro alam na niya kung gaano kalakas ang punches and ‘yung movements ko,” she added./ASC, WDJ