Olympians Carlo Paalam and Rogen Ladon try to catch the last bus headed for the Paris Olympics when they compete in the 2nd World Qualification Tournament starting Friday at the Indoor Stadium Huamark in Bangkok.

After failing to secure an Olympic slot via the 19th Asian Games in China and the 1st World Qualification Tournament in Italy last year, Paalam is expected to go all out to bag one the three remaining berths in the men’s 57-kilogram event of the Summer Games.

“This is my last chance. I’ll do everything to earn it,” said Paalam, a former Olympic silver medalist who is regarded as one of the two high-profile boxers seeking Olympic slots via the second qualifiers, where around 630 boxers will compete for the remaining 51 quota spots. The draw that will determine the matches is set late Thursday.

Paalam was supposed to make it to Paris in the first qualifiers but he injured his shoulder, leading to a sorry loss to Shuku Ovezov of Turkmenistan in the Round of 16.

Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines secretary general Marcus Manalo, however, assured that Paalam is now in great shape.

“His shoulder is okay. You can’t be prepared for dirty plays like that. It’s the referee’s and organizer’s job to penalize those,” Manalo told Daily Tribune in an interview.

Aside from Paalam, also shooting for Olympic slots are former Rio Olympics campaigner Ladon in the men’s 51-kg event, Christian Pitt Laurente in the men’s 63.5-kg event, and Hergie Bacyadan in the women’s 75-kg event.

Hopes were high on Ladon after scoring a sensational knockout win over Said Mortaji of Morocco in the Round of 16 of first qualifiers. But his Olympic entry was halted when he fell prey to Kiaran MacDonald of Great Britain via split decision in the quarterfinals.

Manalo said the boxers are ready following a fruitful training camp in Colorado Springs in the United States.

“They had productive sparring sessions with different nations in the past two weeks. They’re in good form and ready to go,” Manalo said.

“It’s their last chance to qualify so everyone is determined.”

But among the four Filipino boxers, it was Laurente who has a golden chance to make it to Paris.

A former professional boxer who was given a call-up after beating Mark Ashley Fajardo in a box-off, the 24-year-old pug from General Santos City could spring a surprise as there are five slots at stake in the second qualifiers with one for universality place.