At a bare-bones gym in the central Philippines, children from poor families in torn shoes put on frayed head guards and get to work in pursuit of their Olympic boxing dream — and a way out of poverty.
This photo taken on June 7, 2024 shows children looking on as two youths spar in the ring during their idle time at a boxing gym in Bago City, Negros Occidental province.BAGO CITY, Philippines –
Boxers there work out on peeling punching bags under the buzz of giant old electric fans straining to give some relief from the oppressive tropical heat.The most recent Bago Olympian, Rio 2016 light-flyweight Roger Ladon, failed to qualify for Paris leaving the city pining for a new poster boy. Bago lightweight Leopoldo Cantancio blazed the Olympic trail when he made it to the 1984 Los Angeles Games, reaching the round of 16. He also fought at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.Though Filipino boxers have yet to win gold, eight of the country's 14 Olympic medals so far came from boxing — three silvers and five bronze.
"Dad wanted to become a boxer himself. I have decided to fulfil that dream for him," said his son, whose more than a dozen boxing medals hang proudly on the living room wall. "I want to make my papa proud by following in his boxing footsteps," she told AFP, referring to Junel Cantancio, a Philippines team boxer who did not make it to the Olympics.
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