Petecio honored to represent LGBT community at Olympics

Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Silver medalist Nesthy Petecio of the Philippines holds her medal. Luis Robayo, Reuters" src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/reuters/08/04/nesthy.jpg"/><figcaption>Silver medalist Nesthy Petecio of the Philippines holds her medal. <em>Luis Robayo, Reuters</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>When Nesthy Petecio won a silver medal in the Tokyo Olympics, she did so not just for herself, for her family and for her country, but also for the LGBT community. </p><p>The 29-year-old Petecio has made no secret of her sexual orientation, and in a March 2020 appearance on the &quot;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/0aKtXThnedqdMIHL86vyhZ?si=61b35b5fa3c64cbf&amp;nd=1">Go Hard Girls</a>&quot; podcast, she expressed her gratitude that her family accepts her for who she is.</p><p>&quot;Sobrang proud po ako bilang member po ng LGBT po. Hindi ko po tinatanggi &#x27;yun,&quot; Petecio told reporters on Tuesday after she became the Philippines&#x27; second medalist in the Tokyo Olympics. </p><p>Petecio lost via unanimous decision to Japan&#x27;s Sena Irie in the finals of the women&#x27;s featherweight division, but still made history as the first Filipina to win a boxing medal in the Summer Games. </p><p>It was also the Philippines&#x27; first Olympic boxing medal in 25 years, following the silver that Mansueto &quot;Onyok&quot; Velasco won in Atlanta in 1996.</p><p>Petecio hopes that her feat will show that one&#x27;s sexual orientation should not be a barrier to chasing dreams.</p><p>&quot;Kumbaga, kahit anong gender po natin, basta kung may pangarap po tayo, laban po,&quot; she said.</p><p>Petecio is one of three out Filipino athletes who competed in the Tokyo Games, along with boxing teammate Irish Magno and skateboarder Margielyn Didal.</p><p>According to <a href="https://www.outsports.com/olympics/2021/7/12/22565574/tokyo-summer-olympics-lgbtq-gay-athletes-list">Out Sports</a>, there are at least 181 publicly out athletes who competed in the Tokyo Olympics, including the first trans Olympians. </p><div><em>For breaking news and latest developments on the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, visit <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/tokyo-olympics">https://news.abs-cbn.com/tokyo-olympics</a></em></div><div><br/><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1739996" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

Nesthy Petecio's silver medal in Tokyo was not just for herself, for her family and for her country, but also for the LGBT community. 

Petecio honored to represent LGBT community at Olympics | ABS-CBN

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Petecio honored to represent LGBT community at Olympics

Petecio honored to represent LGBT community at Olympics

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 04, 2021 11:08 AM PHT

Read More:

boxing

Nesthy Petecio

Tokyo Olympics

Olympic Games

LGBT

LGBT athletes

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