Regardless of the result, Nesthy Petecio bared that this will be her final time competing in the Olympics.

The 32-year-old Petecio, the Tokyo Games silver medalist, said she wants to settle down and focus on other aspects of her life as she believes she has given a lot to the country and to the sport.

Petecio is seen as one of best bets for the Filipinos for a gold medal alongside teammates Carlo Paalam and Eumir Marcial, pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena and gymnast Carlos Yulo.

“A lot of offers came in after the Tokyo Olympics. There were people who told me that I can’t just focus on being an athlete forever,” Petecio said during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday.

‘I haven’t won a medal in the Asian Games. I hope I will be able to get one in Japan.’

“I need to explore other aspects of life. I love this sport and I have been here for 17 years, almost half of my life is spent here. A lot of great memories here.”

“It’s a hard decision but we’re not getting any younger and I need to give my time for myself and for my family.”

She also said she hopes to finish her career in the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan in 2026 with a podium finish after her recent stint saw her lose to eventual champion Lin Yu-ting of Chinese Taipei in the Round of 16 in the women’s 57-kilogram division last year in Hangzhou, China.

“I haven’t won a medal in the Asian Games. I hope I will be able to get one in Japan,” Petecio said.

The pride of Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur has a great resume.

Apart from being the first Filipino female boxer to clinch a medal in the Olympics, Petecio also bagged the 2019 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in Russia and two Southeast Asian Games gold medals.

The only thing that could make her medal tally legendary could be the elusive Olympic gold medal in France but that will be easier said than done.

For one Lin, 19th Asiad silver medalist Karina Ibragimova of Kazakhstan and Asian Games bronze medalist Mijgona Samadova of Tajikistan will be in the French capital after their impressive performance last year.

Also returning for the Paris Games are Marcelat Sakobi Matshu of Congo and Irma Testa of Italy, who are looking for payback after Petecio eliminated them in the Round of 32 and semifinal, respectively, in Tokyo.

Petecio will join the Philippine delegation in its training camp in Metz, France on 22 June before going to Saarbrücken, Germany from 1 to 14 July for another training camp alongside other boxers from all around the world.

She said she has been taking care of her eye after it was discovered she has a corneal abrasion which is a scratch on the cornea.

“We are currently under therapy. We are trying to fix any injuries or tightness we are feeling in our bodies,” Petecio said.

“I have been putting a lot of medicines in my eye. I have been putting four medicines in my eye because the tear is big. Thankfully, nothing is wrong on the inside of my eye.”

Still, she will do whatever it takes to make sure her last Olympic stint will be a golden one.

“I know it won’t be easy now compared to Tokyo. Back then, there wasn’t much exposure, not much games and no multi-training was done,” Petecio said.

“The level of boxers now is different. If there’s even the tiniest hole of a needle for me to go through, the path I’m going to take will be even harder.”