Rowing body eyes at least 1 Tokyo spot

MANILA, Philippines — Buoyed by the gold medals it won in the 30th Southeast Asian Games, the Philippine Rowing Association (PRA) now has the coming Tokyo Olympics up next on its radar.

The federation, under newly elected president Patrick Gregorio, has set a goal of qualifying at least any – if not all – of the three paddlers who bagged a gold in the recent edition of the biennial meet.

The lone Olympic qualifier for rowing is set three months from now, and Gregorio expressed the PRA’s commitment of providing all-out support to the Filipinos’ bid of earning a berth in Tokyo as part of his initial project as head of the association.

“Kung papalarin, baka makakuha pa tayo ng isa pang qualifier para sa Tokyo Olympics,” said Gregorio, the former PBA board chairman.

The rowing president is referring to any of Joanie Delgaco, Melcah Jen Caballero, and Chris Nievarez, all of whom won golds in the last SEA Games and are vying in the lone Asia and Oceania Qualification Tournament set in Chungju, South Korea from April 27 to 29.

Delgaco and Caballero could be bright bets in the lightweight women’s double sculls (LW2x) after finishing fourth in the last Asian Rowing Championships and eighth in the World Rowing Championships.

Three Asian berths will be up for grabs in the three-day qualifier.

“Kung matutuloy yung training ng mga atleta, yung foreign coach na susuporta and of course, yung suporta ng sponsors, I’m really confident that we can qualify (to the Olympics),” said Gregorio, who was with the three paddlers in yesterday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at the Amelie Hotel-Manila.

National coaches Con Fornea and Ed Mayrina, along with newly elected deputy secretary-general and treasurer Magnum Membrere came along with the group in the session presented by San Miguel Corp., Braska Restaurant, Amelie Hotel, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR).

Nievarez meanwhile is set to see action in the lightweight men’s single sculls (LM1x), where a total of five Olympic berths are at stake for the region.

Benjie Tolentino was the last Filipino rower to qualify in the Olympics during the 2000 Sydney Games, where he finished 18th in the men’s single sculls.

Both Delgaco and Caballero expressed optimism about their chances especially with the support coming from the PRA.

“Walang imposible sa sports  determined lang ang lahat ng mga atleta. Exposure and training, walang imposible na makapag-qualify sa Olympics,” said Caballero.

Added Delgaco, “Halos lahat nagpupursige para sa qualifier. Ang hiling lang po namin is exposure at mabigyan lang kami ng magandang suporta.”

Gregorio vowed to extend all the necessary help the association can extend to the Filipino paddlers especially with a new set of officers coming in.