Nesthy Petecio is determined to win the gold medal when she competes in the women’s boxing event of the Paris Olympics.

Petecio said winning the gold medal is her personal goal so she will do everything to conquer the crown that she missed in her first try in Tokyo three years ago.

The 32-year-old Petecio is with the national team in Metz, France for the Philippine Olympic Committee-organized training camp. From France, the boxers will go to Saarbrücken in Germany for a two-week training camp before heading to Paris.

Aside from Petecio, also part of the star-studded boxing team is Olympic silver medalist Carlo Paalam, Olympic bronze medalist Eumir Marcial and greenhorns Aira Villegas and Hergie Bacyadan.

Petecio said winning the gold medal is quite personal for her.

“I still want to get the gold medal. That keeps me motivated because I know I can still do it,” said Petecio, one of the Filipino athletes who are expected to deliver in the country’s centennial anniversary of competing in the Summer Olympics.

“This is a personal goal for me. I want to win this for myself and for the country.”

In the previous Olympics, Petecio came very close to winning the gold medal as she advanced to the final of the featherweight class.

But winning the gold wasn’t meant to be.

Petecio bowed to Sena Irie of Japan, 0-5, to settle for the silver medal, a finish that sent her crying on top of the medal podium.

Since then, Petecio was unstoppable as she won the gold medal in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh before booking a return flight to the Summer Games via the 1st World Qualification Tournament in Italy.

Irie, for her part, decided to retire in 2021, removing the giant roadblock that separates Petecio from her goal of ruling the Olympics.

Still, it doesn’t mean that Petecio’s road to glory will be easy.

For one, Asian Games medalists Lin Yu-ting of Chinese Taipei, Karina Ibragimova of Kazakhstan and Mijgona Samadova have all qualified as well as Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Irma Testa, who is itching the avenge her semifinal loss to Petecio in the previous Summer Games.

Petecio said she is getting help from his younger brother in preparing for the Olympics.

“He would tell me how my taller sparring mates would move so I’m thankful for the help he gave,” said Petecio, who will join Carlo Paalam in serving as the country’s flag bearer in the Summer Games.