Pinoy rowers clinch four golds in SEA tiff

Filipino rowers ended the year on an explosive note by bagging four gold medals in the recent Southeast Asian Rowing Federation championships in West Lake, Hanoi, Vietnam.

Busan Asian Games bronze medalists Alvin Amposta and Nestor Cordova led the Filipinos’ sweep of all four events they joined in the three-day competition which also lured rowers from Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and host Vietnam.

Amposta and Cordova clocked 6 minutes 57.89 seconds to beat Vietnam’s Do Manh Tung and Nguyen Tuan Anh (7:02.44) and Thailand’s Anupong Thainjam and Ruthanapol Teppibal (7:05.66) in the men’s lightweight double sculls event.

The other RP gold medalists were Jose Rodriguez in men’s lightweight single scull, Rodriguez and Olympian Benjamin Tolentino in the men’s double sculls and Jairus Miron, Mark Anthony Galvez, Nilo Cordova and Rowell Tolentino in the men’s lightweight coxless fours.

Rodriguez timed 7:39.15 to topple Vietnam’s Nguyen Van Nguyen (7:43.79) and Myanmar’s Li Khint Maung Yi (7:58.87) in singles scull and then paired with Tolentino to clock 6:52.95 and whip Vietnam’s Nguyen Van Nguyen and Nguyen Anh Tuan (6:57.34) and Indonesia’s Tofan and Anang Maung Vi (7:10.01) in double sculls.

Miron and company finished in 6:42.76 to edge the Vietnamese (6:43.43) and the Indons (7:16.84) in the coxless fours.

"I’m proud of the boys’ achievements," said rowing association president and Philippine Olympic Committee treasurer Benjamin Ramos, who headed the 10-man RP delegation. "They worked hard to produce their best showing ever in the (SEARF) championships."

Actually, the Filipinos had a chance to win a fifth gold when Amposta and Cordova made it to the finals of the lightweight men’s coxless pairs. But they had to withdraw due to conflict of schedule.

"Mukhang walang talo, kaya lang nagkasabay ang finals nila sa favorite event nilang double sculls sa lightweight coxless pairs," explained coach Nicanor Jasmin.