Paalam secures Olympic win, advances to quarters

Filipino boxer Carlo Paalam secured a unanimous decision victory against Jude Gallagher of Ireland in the men's 57kg boxing event at the 2024 Paris Olympics on Wednesday, July 31.

Paalam advances to face Charlie Senior of Australia in the quarterfinals on Saturday, August 3, with a win assuring him of a bronze medal and potentially his second Olympic podium finish after winning silver in Tokyo in 2021.

In a closely contested fight against Gallagher, Paalam demonstrated his speed and agility, focusing intensely to overcome height and reach disadvantages. He emphasized the importance of strategy over power, stating that he gave 30 percent of his physical strength and 70 percent of his brainpower during the match.

Paalam's victory is seen as a morale boost for the Philippine boxing team following recent unexpected exits by Eumir Marcial and Hergie Bacyadan in their respective events. The news has also brought excitement to Cagayan de Oro, where Paalam began his boxing career.

Elmer Pamisa, who discovered and guided Paalam, remains confident that his fighter can handle Senior despite the latter’s height advantage. Paalam plans to employ similar strategies used against Gallagher, with a strong mindset to ensure victory for all the Filipinos who support him.