Eumir Marcial’s wife Princess revealed on Wednesday that the Filipino boxer had a rib injury before the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Eumir fell to Uzbekistan’s Turabek Khabibullaev in the Round of 16 of the men’s 80kg division, handing the Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist an early exit from the Summer Games.
In an interview with the Philippine Olympic Committee media, including GMA Integrated News’ JP Soriano, Princess said Marcial did not see action for two weeks due to the said injury.
“Nagka-injury po siya sa rib tapos wala siyang aksiyon ng two weeks, no sparring for two weeks, talagang walang training dahil hindi makatayo sa injury niya,” Princess said.
“Noong nakita ko first round pa lang, sa body language niya, alam kong masakit na ‘yung ribs niya, so parang ako, sinisigaw ko na ‘Stay calm’ kasi nakikita kong nararamdaman niya na ‘yung sakit sa ribs.”
(He had injury in the ribs then he missed action for two weeks, no sparring for two weeks, no training at all because he could not stand up due to the injury. When I saw as early as the first round in his body language that his ribs were hurting, I was shouting ‘Stay calm.’)
Princess said she also knew that when Marcial was looking at his coach, the boxer was already feeling pain because of the injury.
“Sayang kasi alam ko kaya ni Eumir mag-gold kaso nagka-injury,” she said. “Hindi rin po siya makagalaw, hindi siya maka-bend. Kung mapapansin n’yo, tina-try niyang i-bend ‘yung knee niya pero nakikita ko sobrang sakit ng ribs niya.”
(I knew Eumir could win the gold, but the injury happened… He could not also move or bend. If you could see it, he was trying to bend his knee but I know his ribs were painful.)
Still, Princess said she is grateful for the support her husband received in this journey.
“Thank you very much, salamat sa lahat ng Pilipinong sumuporta. God bless you all and okay lang ‘yun, may plano ang Diyos. [Sa] professionals, doon tayo magkita-kita.”
(Thank you very much to all those Filipinos who supported Eumir. God bless you all and it’s fine, God has a plan. See you all in the pros.)
Eumir, meanwhile, asked his supporters to help him start anew.
—with reports from JP Soriano/JKC, GMA Integrated News
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