Cover Nesthy Petecio posing with her Olympic bronze medal (Photo: Instagram / Adidas)

Nesthy Petecio posing with her Olympic bronze medal (Photo: Instagram / Adidas)

Returning from the Paris 2024 Olympics with a bronze medal, boxer Nesthy Petecio discusses the triumphs of her Olympic journey and her next goal: championing financial freedom for all

Fresh from her bronze medal win at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Nesthy Petecio takes on her new role as Coins.ph ambassador with the same grit and strategic thinking she would for any match. Even before she had any guarantee of bringing home a medal, the homegrown fintech company provided her full support. “We are honoured to stand behind Nesthy and the other Filipino athletes as they continue to chase their dreams on a global stage,” enthused Coins.ph CEO Wei Zhou in his opening remarks.

This further opens the conversation around providing Filipino athletes with the support they need to pursue their dreams and provide for their families. Nesthy Petecio has received PhP2 million from the Philippine government. To her, this partnership with Coins.ph is an opportunity to educate herself and her siblings on financial responsibility. “When it comes to handling our finances, we need knowledge, proper strategies and tools,” she said. “Each decision and investment is an important step towards financial freedom.”

While listening to Nesthy Petecio speak, one could feel the weight imbued in each word. She had to fight for her athletic journey from her humble beginnings as the child of a farmer and a housewife. To help her parents make ends meet, she would sell manure as fertiliser.

Her love for boxing did not happen overnight–it was something that she cultivated over time. “My father’s goal was to be a world champion and an Olympian,” she shared. “I would just listen to him when he told me that. When I was watching the 2005 SEA Games, I heard the national anthem playing, and it changed everything for me. I started taking boxing more seriously—I wanted to hear the national anthem playing live as I represented the country in boxing. That’s when I joined the national team and wanted to start playing abroad, to fulfil my father’s dream.”

Her deep connection with her family has sustained her over the 17 years she’s spent on the national team. When asked where the nickname ‘Nesthy’ came from, she joked that her parents loved the Nestea iced tea brand. But when pressed for an answer, she stated it came from a story her father shared. “In the nest, the baby bird is nurtured and fed by their parents. The parents share their knowledge, which gives the bird the courage to step out of the nest and fly—this is what my parents did for me.”

Nesthy Petecio with her parents, Teodoro Petecio and Prescilla Alcayde (Photo: Instagram / Nesthy Petecio)

Nesthy Petecio with her partner Riza Geneblaza and brother, Norlan Petecio (Photo: Instagram / Nesthy Petecio)

And fly she did: this Filipino amateur boxer is now the first Filipino boxer to win multiple Olympic medals. She also won a gold medal at the World Championships and the Southeast Asian Games in 2019. But for now, Petecio is focused on sharing her blessings with her family. After receiving properties in Davao for her silver medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she hopes to buy more of the surrounding land and turn it into a farm. With the help of Coins.ph, she feels more equipped than ever to make sound financial decisions for herself and her family. She hopes that she can inspire other Filipinos to make good investments for their futures as well.

But that doesn’t mean Nesthy Petecio’s journey as an athlete is over. “Walang hinto nang walang ginto [I won’t stop until I win gold],” she said emphatically. “We’re going to make a lot of adjustments, especially with the help of my physical therapist. We’re focusing more on recovery after every bout, which is something I didn’t focus on this time around. If I want to keep going in LA and get a gold medal, I need to listen to my bodily cues and rest as well. As I get older, I start to slow down and lose speed. Instead, I will focus on my power and improving my strength.”

Nesthy Petecio posing by the ring (Photo: Instagram / Adidas)

Nesthy Petecio posing with her Olympic bronze medal (Photo: Instagram / Adidas)

Over her long career as an athlete, bringing pride to the Philippine people, she has learnt the value of staying resilient in the face of adversity. When asked about the impact that she has on inspiring Filipina women everywhere, she was adamant that women push into any field they dreamt of exploring. “Women shouldn’t stop themselves from joining male-dominated sports. Whatever men can do, we can do,” she said. “You won’t achieve great things right away, but the important thing is to enjoy each step on the journey. God gives us enough time to achieve our goals. No matter how many times we fall, God fills us up and gives us the strength to keep going each time. With His help, we become strong enough to face the day that our dreams finally come true.”