TACLOBAN CITY — Leyte Governor Jericho Petilla has praised Aira Villegas as a testament to the power of hard work, determination, and perseverance.
Villegas, a product of the Leyte Sports Academy (LSA) and is from Tacloban City, has journeyed from her early aspirations to the Olympic stage.
Gov. Petilla highlighted Villegas’ impressive achievements, including winning the gold medal at the Smart PLDT ABAP 2012 National Competition and another gold medal at the Philippine National Games 2014.
Her performance caught the attention of coach Violeta Payla, who recruited her to join the Philippine Women’s Boxing Team.
“Fast forward to today, not only did she realize her dream of competing in the Olympics, but she also brought home a bronze medal in Women’s 50kg Boxing at the Paris 2024 Olympics,” Petilla said.
The governor expressed his pride in the Leyte Sports Academy for continually producing Olympic-caliber athletes who bring honor to the nation.
“Congratulations, Aira, for making Leyte and the entire country proud,” Petilla added.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
