MANILA – Joanie Delgaco’s bid for a Paris Olympics medal ended in the quarterfinals of the women’s single sculls event at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium on Tuesday (30 July 2024).
Delgaco placed sixth in Heat 3 with a time of 7:58.3, slower than her previous runs. She had clocked 7:56.26 in the first round and 7:55 flat in the repechage heat, which secured her a spot in the quarterfinals.
Defending champion Emma Twigg of New Zealand led Heat 3 with 7:26.89, while Switzerland’s Katharina Janzen followed at 7:31.12. Spain’s Virginia Diaz clinched the final Division A semifinal spot with a late surge, finishing at 7:34.01, pushing Serbia’s Jovana Arsic to fifth.
Delgaco, Arsic, and fourth-place finisher Diana Dymchenko of Azerbaijan will compete in the Division C semifinals on Wednesday to conclude their campaigns.
Delgaco, from Iriga City, Camarines Sur, made history as the first female Filipino rower to qualify for the Olympics, following her fourth-place finish at the World Rowing Asian and Oceania Olympic Qualification in April. She joins Edgardo Maerina (1988 Seoul), Benjamin Tolentino Jr. (2000 Sydney), and Cris Nievarez (2020 Tokyo) as Filipino Olympians in rowing.
(el Amigo/mnm)
