MANILA, Philippines — Aira Villegas will kickstart the Philippine boxing team's campaign at the Paris Olympics.

Making her first Olympic appearance, Villegas will be the first to see action among the Philippine quintet which also includes her fellow first-timer Hergie Bacyadan and the returning Olympians Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam, and Eumir Marcial.

On July 29 at 3:20 a.m. (Manila time), three days before she turns 29, Villegas will take on Moroccan Yasmine Moutaqui in the women's 50kg round of 32kg at the North Paris Arena.

Petecio, the first Filipino female boxing Olympic medalist after bagging a silver in Tokyo three years ago, will be the next to fight on July 30.

She will clash against Indian Jaismine Lamboria in the women's 57kg round of 32.

The next day, Marcial, Bacyadan, and Paalam, in that order, will finally see action.

Marcial, who snared a bronze medal in Tokyo, will lock horns with Uzbek Turabek Khabibullaev in the men's 80kg round of 16 at 3:04 a.m.

Both Marcial and Khabibullaev earned a bye each in the round of 32.

Bacyadan will make her Olympic debut in the women's 75kg round of 16 against Chinese Li Qian at 6:04 p.m.

Last but not the least, Paalam, also a Tokyo Olympics silver medalist, will battle Irish Jude Gallagher in the men's 57kg round of 16 at 9:30 p.m.

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