MANILA – For Carlo Paalam, the Olympic silver medal he captured is not just a symbol of what he had achieved in the just-concluded 2020 Tokyo Summer Games but also a picture of his humble beginnings.
According to the Cagayan de Oro-native Paalam, the medal means a lot to him as it was made from recycled scraps like mobile phones and computers – the same materials he collected and sold as a scavenger during his younger years.
“Itong medal na ito ay simbolo ng buhay ko. Isa akong mangangalakal at itong medalya ay gawa sa mga sirang gadget,” Paalam said. “Sa basura siya galing, kaya nai-connect ko po siya sa buhay ko.”
The 23-year-old boxer settled for a silver medal finish in the men’s flyweight division after a split decision defeat to Great Britain’s Galai Yafai on Saturday at the Kokugikan Arena in Tokyo, Japan.
Paalam was unloading punches to Yafai in the opening round when the latter stunned the former with a four-punch combo. Yafai capped with a textbook right jab-left straight to knock down the Filipino fighter.
Although Paalam survived the fall, he was visibly affected in the second round, with Yafai managing to land quick jabs and solid left straights, allowing the British to gain the judges’ nod after two rounds.
Knowing that he is way behind in scorecards, Paalam went for the big punch in the third round but to no avail as Yafai simply kept his distance and danced away from each time the Filipino attempted for a knockout.
Regardless of the result of his campaign, it was still a commendable Olympic debut for Paalam since he went through a rough road on his way to the gold medal bout in his stacked division.
Paalam will receive P19 million cash from Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, and private companies and individuals. He also has a various house and lot pledges and free flights from airline companies for his silver medal feat.
“Nagpapasalamat ako sa Panginoon sa pagbibigay ng lakas sa akin at naabot ko ang pangarap ko,” he said. “First time ko sa Olympics at halos lahat ng mga magagaling nandito, kinapos man ako ngayon ngunit babawi tayo sa 2024.”/PN
