The success of the Philippines at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics extends to its coaches.
Roel Velasco served as one of the coaches of the Philippine National Boxing Team at the recently concluded Summer Olympics. The team brought back a total of four medals, making it the country’s first heavy gold medal.
Velasco himself was a medalist at the 1992 Summer Olympics, but was forced to take home the bronze medal after being eliminated in the semifinals by Cuba’s eventual gold medalist Rogelio Marcelo.
This defeat made Velasco heartbroken, which is understandable and has been haunting him ever since.
“Sometimes, you just have to doubt. If I win, I will stand at the top of the podium. Anyway, I am satisfied with what I got,” said Velasco, who translated from the local language.
In recognition of his efforts and past achievements, a Filipino roast chicken company named “Chooks-to-Go” gifted him to his own store, Similar to younger brother Mansueto-also known as “Onyok”.
The president of the company Ronald Mascariñas chose to pay tribute to his brother Roel because he is a “loyal soldier” of the country.
“What surprises me is that Rohr is a soldier who is loyal to the country. Although 29 years have passed since his feat in Barcelona, his legacy remains with our boxers today,” Mascarinha Said.
“For many years, he and his brother boy have been identifying, grooming and training our boxers. With their help, Nethy Petecio and Carlo Paalam won silver medals in Tokyo, and Eumir Marcial won in the middleweight category. Won the bronze medal.”
On August 1, 2021, in the quarterfinals of the men’s mid-stage (69-75 kg class) of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games held in the Tokyo National Gymnasium Arena on August 1, 2021, Filipino Eumir Marcial (blue) defeated Armenian Arman in a KO Celebrate after Darchinyan.
Photo: LUIS ROBAYO/AFP via Getty Images
Velasco is the third former Filipino Olympic athlete to receive support from the local roast chicken business after his brother “Oyoke” and the bronze medalist in the 1988 Olympics Leopoldo Serantes, receiving a monthly allowance of $2,000.
