Filipina boxer makes Olympic dream a reality | The Manila Times Newsroom - video Dailymotion

The Manila Times

Filipina boxer makes Olympic dream a reality | The Manila Times Newsroom   The Manila Times Sports interviews Filipina boxer Hergie Tao-wag Bacyadan on her journey toward her Olympic dream as she fights for flag and country in the Paris Games.   Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe  Visit our website at https://www.manilatimes.net    Follow us:  Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook  Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram  Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter  DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion    Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital    Check out our Podcasts:  Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify  Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts  Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic  Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer  Tune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein    #TheManilaTimes  #TMTNewsroom  #olympics

Transcript

00:00Good morning, I am Nicole Ann Bugawisan and welcome to a new episode of the Manila Times

00:09Newsroom.

00:11On this episode, the Manila Times Sports interviews Filipino boxer Hergie Tawag-Bacadan on her

00:18journey toward her Olympic dream as she fights for flag and country in the Paris Games.

00:30Hergie, your preparations so far, how is your conditioning from 1 to 10?

00:40Of course, we are already at 10.

00:43I am not adjusting.

00:46I am continuously exercising.

00:49My condition is good.

00:51I am showing my training.

00:53The coaches are happy.

00:54I am also happy because I said I have improvements that I am learning every day.

01:00I am very prepared for the upcoming Olympics.

01:04For the upcoming Olympics, even if it is your first time, a lot of people are saying that

01:13your stance is different and your planting is different.

01:18For you, what will be your advantage for the upcoming Olympics?

01:24I told Coach Gerson and Coach Ronald that we should work harder because I am not that

01:31polished yet.

01:33I came from a combat background, I did kickboxing, then I transformed into boxing.

01:39There are adjustments, but I told Coach Gerson to help me improve my shortcomings because

01:45I was really lucky to be able to qualify.

01:52I am thankful that the Lord did not abandon me.

01:57I am thankful for the prayers of my fellow countrymen and my tribes.

02:01I told Coach Gerson to prepare me, especially now that the training for qualifying is over.

02:12We will do a different step for the upcoming Olympics.

02:17What did you learn and how did you excel in boxing?

02:20At the same time, how did you become a senior athlete?

02:24I am really passionate about sports.

02:28The people there are okay.

02:30I just have high expectations of myself because I don't want to just stay in the sports

02:36or my comfort zone because I want to achieve more.

02:39I will look for other sports that I can do, that I can improve on.

02:46I saw boxing and I thought that this is where I am okay.

02:55I did not make a mistake when I was chosen.

02:59We were swimming and I saw Coach Ronald.

03:03I told him, Coach, maybe you are looking for a big woman.

03:08He said, are you a woman?

03:11I said, I don't want to.

03:14He said, okay.

03:16It was his first time seeing a woman this big.

03:21He said, you are beautiful in a big weight.

03:25Actually, he was not the one who held the woman.

03:29It was Coach Boy at that time.

03:32I recommend you to Coach Boy.

03:34I will send you there.

03:35You just have to wait.

03:37I started boxing in 2019.

03:41Our training base was in Baguio, Cahuizan before I started.

03:50I competed in the 2019 SEA Games.

03:53I competed as an Asian Champion.

03:56I won a gold medal.

03:58It was the first time that I was overwhelmed.

04:01I said, this is how it feels.

04:04Before, in Wusho, I never won a gold medal.

04:07But here, I won a gold medal.

04:09I was so proud of myself.

04:14I said, maybe this is the time.

04:17I changed my mind.

04:20I left that time.

04:22It was the time when they were expecting me to enter the Tokyo Olympics.

04:26It didn't happen because I was stubborn.

04:28I still had a lot of questions in my mind.

04:36I left that time.

04:38I stayed at home for 2 years.

04:43I worked outside.

04:45I tried to find a job.

04:47I was sad.

04:49I said, once I left boxing,

04:51I let go of my dream to become an Olympian.

04:55In 2020, Coach Galido called me.

05:05He called me and said,

05:07I called you because

05:09I saw that you were happy.

05:12You were able to think.

05:14You wanted to come back.

05:16We can hire you again.

05:18But I'm not saying that I will hire you again.

05:22I want you to be consistent.

05:25You need to focus.

05:27So that you can achieve your dream.

05:31You need to avoid those temptations.

05:33Whatever is in your mind.

05:35I didn't want to buy a second chance.

05:38I said, let's do it.

05:40It was good that I entered in 2022.

05:44I got a gold medal in the Thailand Open.

05:47Everyone was like,

05:49who is that?

05:51Who is the 75?

05:53We talked about it.

05:56Until we got to the point where we were preparing for Vietnam.

06:01It was a long preparation.

06:03We were in Thailand for 2 months.

06:05But I didn't fight in Vietnam.

06:08We only had 2 slots in the 75.

06:12So it didn't continue.

06:14Until I was in the ESBC again.

06:16I got a bronze medal.

06:23After I got the bronze,

06:25I thought again,

06:28I wasn't happy.

06:30At that time,

06:32my partner and I were getting married.

06:37So I let go of boxing again.

06:40So I thought,

06:43I don't know what's running through my mind.

06:47Where am I?

06:49Do I still have a future in sports?

06:51Or am I just playing this sport?

06:54Some people dream of becoming a national team.

06:58What's more, they want to compete internationally.

07:00It's a big privilege for you

07:02as an athlete to play abroad.

07:04So,

07:06one year,

07:08I was there again.

07:10That's when I joined GovNam.

07:13Actually, at that time,

07:15I was looking for a promoter or manager

07:17for a professional.

07:19At that time, I lost my boxing career.

07:21I was looking for people

07:24I can talk to

07:26who can help me become a pro.

07:28That's when GovNam joined.

07:31I competed in the 65kg division.

07:37When I came back,

07:39I didn't expect it.

07:41I thought boxing was over.

07:43It was all in my head.

07:45It was hopeless.

07:47Maybe this is it.

07:49This is what sports looks like to me.

07:51GovNam and SKP.

07:53At that time,

07:55after my World Championship,

07:57I became a champion in GovNam.

07:59Atty. Warton told me,

08:01the person in charge of SKP,

08:03he told me,

08:05after that,

08:07I should rest for a week

08:09and prepare for qualifying.

08:11I was shocked.

08:13I thought,

08:15God really connected

08:17everything that happened in my life.

08:19That's why I said,

08:22I don't want to embarrass the people

08:24who believe in me.

08:26I thought,

08:28this is it.

08:30This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

08:32I said,

08:34this is my lifetime dream.

08:36I want to qualify

08:38for the Olympics.

08:42I didn't rest.

08:44I rested for a day

08:46and trained at home.

08:48I trained in Montalban

08:51with my father.

08:53I trained there.

08:55After I rested,

08:57I went back to ABAP.

08:59I trained there.

09:01Of course,

09:03I was surprised

09:05by the people around me.

09:07I was like,

09:09if I was in the national team,

09:11I was like,

09:13why is this happening?

09:17At that time,

09:20the level here was different.

09:22I said,

09:24I need to improve.

09:26I need to prove something.

09:28I need to

09:30somehow

09:32make them believe

09:34that I came back

09:36to boxing

09:38for their purpose

09:40and God's will.

09:42Those are the people

09:44who brought me back

09:46to boxing.

09:49What do you think

09:51will change

09:53in the upcoming Olympics?

09:55Will there be more discipline?

09:57Will there be

09:59more strength?

10:01Something that will change

10:03compared to previous expeditions?

10:05In terms of

10:07qualifying,

10:09well,

10:11I was also surprised.

10:13I said,

10:15I was still there

10:18when I realized

10:20that I was in the Olympics.

10:22I still can't believe it.

10:24It was just a few months preparation.

10:26So,

10:28I told my coach,

10:30Coach Ronald,

10:32Coach Gerson,

10:34that I need to

10:36improve my movements

10:38because I have the power.

10:40The only problem

10:42is that I can't

10:44adjust the timing.

10:47In terms of footwork,

10:49we're still working on it.

10:51There are still things to improve

10:53but I told Coach Ronald,

10:55Coach Gerson,

10:57that we need to work on it

10:59because this is a different level

11:01compared to the Olympics.

11:03I said, I'm prepared.

11:05When we arrived in Germany,

11:07I still have a training camp.

11:09I'll observe the opponents,

11:11I'll study their movements

11:13so that when we face

11:16them in the ring,

11:18they'll be surprised

11:20that I didn't give my best

11:22in the sparring because

11:24I'll study their movements.

11:26They'll see my movements.

11:28In the upcoming Olympics,

11:30they'll be surprised

11:32because they saw my sparring

11:34in the qualifying.

11:36It's different.

11:38It's a different level

11:40compared to the Olympics.

11:46Based on your story,

11:48you're the one who's moving away

11:50but in my story,

11:52you're moving closer to boxing.

11:54How do you feel about that?

11:56For me,

11:58boxing is totally deleted.

12:00I'm just focusing on

12:02other things that are open for me.

12:04That's all I'm focused on

12:06because I'm just a few years old.

12:08I'll be retiring soon.

12:10I want to be free.

12:12I don't think about

12:14training in the morning.

12:16Of course,

12:18it's okay.

12:20But because

12:22it's the will of the Lord,

12:24I have a purpose.

12:26Why did He bring me back to boxing?

12:28He doesn't want

12:30me to prove anything.

12:32To the people who

12:34trust me,

12:36they have a lot of trust

12:38that we'll get the gold

12:40in the upcoming Olympics.

12:42Like I said,

12:44I'll continue to

12:46work hard

12:48until I get back here

12:50and go to the Olympics.

12:52I'm confident that I'll beat my opponents.

12:54Carlo and Esty mentioned

12:56that you're the only ones

12:58who can help each other.

13:00You're strong and brave.

13:02How does it feel

13:04to have all three of you

13:06going to the Olympics

13:08and how do you feel

13:10about that?

13:12For me,

13:14as someone who's

13:16below the level

13:18of boxing,

13:20I'm looking forward to the Olympics.

13:22Number one is Esty.

13:24She's my idol.

13:26Carlo, Marshall,

13:28Irish, they're all retired.

13:30I see them

13:32as my privilege.

13:34I talk to Esty.

13:36At first,

13:38I was embarrassed

13:40because I noticed

13:42that I might

13:44lose.

13:46When I approached them,

13:48they're so kind.

13:50They're down to earth and humble.

13:52That's why I said

13:54that when I become an Olympian,

13:56I want to be like them.

13:58I don't want to

14:00think about

14:02becoming an Olympian.

14:04Of course,

14:06I know that it's just

14:08a dream, but

14:10I'm determined.

14:12As you said, we're helping

14:14Carlo and Nesh.

14:16I appreciate

14:18what they taught me.

14:20Especially when

14:22I was the last one to fight

14:24in the qualifying.

14:26They told me not to lose hope.

14:28Trust yourself.

14:30Give your best because

14:32there's no after.

14:34Just relax.

14:36So that you won't feel

14:38tired in the ring.

14:40I really appreciate that.

14:42It's a big part of me

14:44that there are people

14:46who are still Olympians.

14:48That's why I said

14:50that it's overwhelming

14:52and it really boosts me.

14:54Of course,

14:56they've been there.

14:58The tips they gave

15:00really helped me in the ring.

15:02I don't know what to say.

15:04I learned a lot.

15:06In my experience

15:08with Olympians,

15:10they're really down to earth.

15:12They know how to be with the beginners.

15:14Every time I go in,

15:16it's a battle.

15:18That's my experience.

15:20I feel it's legit.

15:22Every time I fight,

15:24especially in the qualifying,

15:26I said to myself,

15:28actually, there are others

15:30who glorify the Lord.

15:32But for me,

15:34I became a soldier

15:36of the Lord.

15:38He's the one who connected me

15:40so that I could come here.

15:42All the struggles I went through,

15:44I really went through it.

15:46I went through it cleanly.

15:48That's why I said

15:50when I knock on the ring,

15:52I'll release all the pressure and thoughts.

15:54I'll focus on my opponent

15:56and I always raise

15:58my hand to the Lord

16:00for all the battles.

16:02I hope there won't be any injuries.

16:04Whenever I knock on the ring,

16:06I always

16:08raise the name of the Lord.

16:12For my fellow

16:14aspiring athletes,

16:16it's like

16:18you're me.

16:20I went through that too.

16:22When you start in sports,

16:24of course,

16:26you're always looking for yourself.

16:28What are you thinking?

16:30Am I really here?

16:32Always push yourself.

16:34For me,

16:36that's what made me successful

16:38in sports.

16:40For me,

16:42based on my experience,

16:44my expectations are high.

16:46I always tell myself,

16:48I'll reach high, I'll go far.

16:50I'm sure of that.

16:52I'll get

16:54what I'm working for.

16:56Just push yourself.

16:58There's nothing

17:00like this.

17:02Everything you do,

17:04everything you do,

17:06will have good results.

17:08That's why I dream

17:10to be an athlete, to be in a national team,

17:12to compete internationally,

17:14to be in the Olympics someday.

17:16Keep on dreaming.

17:18If you really feel like

17:20you're here, you're happy,

17:22you're happy with what you're doing,

17:24there's no pressure, no toxic,

17:26you're here.

17:28Whatever you want,

17:30not only in sports,

17:32in work,

17:34always think, trust yourself,

17:36you can do anything,

17:38no matter what you're going through.

17:40I'm Hergie Tawagbakyadan,

17:42and I play 75kg middleweight,

17:44for the country.

17:52www.hergietawagbakyadan.com

Filipina boxer makes Olympic dream a reality | The Manila Times Newsroom

Category

Transcript

Recommended