With the inclusion of women’s boxing in the Olympics, the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) is planning to send its female boxers to every international tournament to gain the necessary exposures in time for the 2012 London Games.

First in the itinerary of the RP women’s team is the Asian Indoor Games on October 30 to November 8 in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Veterans Mitchell Martinez, Alice Kate Aparri and Annie Albania will spearhead the RP team along with the promising Josie Gabuco, Annalisa Cruz and Nesthy Petecio.

Except for Petecio, all members of the RP team have won a medal each in the World Championship.

Albania, the lone gold winner in the 2007 Thailand Southeast Asian Games, bagged the 52kgs silver medal in the 2008 Ningbo edition, while Gabuco and Cruz won the bronze in the same meet in the 46kgs and 50kgs, respectively.

Martinez, for her part, snatched two bronze medals in the 60kgs class of the 2005 Podolsk and 2006 New Delhi editions, while Aparri won the 48kgs bronze in 2006.

RP women’s team assistant coach Roel Velasco said his wards – just like the men’s team – also need to foreign exposures to further enhance their chances of winning that elusive gold medal in the Olympics.

As part of their build-up for Asian Indoor Games and the SEA Games in Laos this December, the female members are allowed to spar with their male counterparts.

“Ang mga ka-sparring lang kasi nila ’yung men’s team natin. Siyempre iba kung babae din na ka-level nila ang makakalaro nila sa training at competition,” said Velasco, a 1992 Barcelona Olympics bronze medalist.

“Magandang start ito sa amin kasi kaka-approve pa lang ’yung women’s boxing sa Olympics. Excited ang mga atleta natin na mag-ensayo pa nang husto,” Velasco said.

The Nationals expect to encounter stiff challenge from North Korea, Kazakhstan, India, and China in the Indoor Games.