ROWER Joanie Delgaco became the country’s latest Olympic-bound bet yesterday after a gritty fourth-place finish in the women’s 2,000-meter single sculls event of the World Rowing Asian and Oceanian Olympic Qualification Regatta at the Tangeum Lake International Regatta in Chunju, South Korea.
Banking on a fast start and overcoming the onset of cramps in the last 750 meters, Delgaco clocked seven minutes and 49.39 seconds to become the first Filipina rower to see action in the Olympic Games, finishing among the top five finalists to seal her ticket to Paris.
“Hindi ko po talaga ini-expect ito dahil malaki ang dinaanan namin sa training. Nag-papasalamat na lang ako at nagawa kong makapunta sa Olympics,” the 26-year-old pride of Iriga City, Camarines del Sur said of her accomplishment.
“Akala ko hindi na ako makakatapos dahil nararamdamang ko na magkaka-cramps ako going sa last 750 meters. Tiniis ko na lang,” said Delgaco, who took off like a bullet and was in first place after the first 500 meters in a time of 1:47.77.
She was so fast that even Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Anna Prakaten had to play catch-up for a time before the Uzbek rower charged back to rule the event in 7:31.28, with Japan’s Shiho Yonekawa taking second (7:35.93) and Iran’s Fatemeh Mojallaltropaghhale third (7:37.07).
Also securing a slot to the Paris Olympics was Vietnam’s Pham Ti Hue, who finished fifth in a time of 7:53.08 on the man-made lake near the Chunju Hydroelectric Dam.
“Alam namin na may pag-asa si Joanie dahil malakas din ‘yung karera niya sa semifinals.
Nagulat nga kami sa bilis niya sa simula sa finals,” said national rowing coach Ed Maerina of Delgaco’s form in the semis last Saturday where she clocked 8:05.87 behind Yonekawa (8:00.59).
Maerina added that Delgaco, an enlisted Navy personnel, will resume her training together with the rest of the national team at their training camp at the La Mesa Dam in Quezon City.
Tokyo Olympian Cris Nievares failed to make it back to the Games after bowing out in the men’s rowing single sculls semis. “Medyo hindi pinalad ngayon si Cris dahil talagang malakas ang mga naging kalaban niya,” Maerina noted.
