PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino visits rower Joanie Delgaco while training at the Metz Boat Club.

TWO of the country’s top medal prospects, gymnast Carlos Yulo and boxer Eumir Felix Marcial, and rower Joanie Delgaco kick off the Philippine campaign this Saturday (July 27)— a day after the Paris Olympics’ unique opening ceremony over the Seine River.

Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino expects returning Olympians Yulo and Tokyo 2020 bronze medalist Marcial to kick-start the bid with the country hoping to match or surpass the historic first Olympic gold Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo won in Tokyo 2020 and the silvers of boxers Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio.

“We’re looking forward to Caloy [Yulo], Eumir and Joanie giving the country that strong start in Paris,” said Tolentino, who will be flying to the French capital on Tuesday. “They’re all ready and inspired and in high spirits.”

Yulo, 23, who finished fourth in Tokyo in vault,  competes in the qualification round of the men’s individual all-around beginning at 9:30 p.m.(Philippine time) with the finals of set on Wednesday (July 31.)

The 28-year-old Marcial, on the other hand, will be competing in the light-heavyweight division after bringing home the middleweight bronze medal from Tokyo.

The Zamboanga City native, who has a 5-0 record as a pro, starts his bid, also at 9:30 p.m. (Philippine time) on Saturday.

Delgaco, meanwhile, tries to advance to the finals from the women’s single Sculls heats at 3 p.m.(Philippine time)—she’s the first Filipina to qualify for Olympic rowing.

Tolentino has earlier declared confidence that the 22-athlete Team Philippines will deliver in Paris.

“This team, I believe, is the most prepared in Philippine Olympic history,” said Tolentino, who thanked the Philippine Sports Commission for its unrelenting support to the campaign that turned feverish with the first-ever pre-Olympic training camp in Metz, France.

“Our athletes have trained and prepared through a tried-and-tested template that guarantees an Olympic medal,” he added.

A two-time world champion—in 2019 floor exercise and 2021 in vault—Yulo is joined by three more gymnasts—Filipino-Americans Aleah Finnegan, Levi Jung-Ruivivar and Emma Malabuyom while Marcial has returning Olympians Petecio and Paalam, Aira Villegas and Hergie Bacyadan in boxing.

The Philippines marks its 100th year of participation in Paris, which will gather 10,714 athletes from 206 nations competing in 329 events from 32 sports.

HANGZHOU, China — Joanie Delgaco aims to make history when she competes in the final of the women’s single sculls event of the 19th Asian Games on Monday at the Fuyang Water Sports Center here.

Delgaco, 25, will be coming as an underdog in the race that starts at 9:10 a.m. as she battles a formidable cast of competitors bannered by a seasoned Uzbek who won the silver medal in the Tokyo Olympics last year.

Anna Prakaten, who was born in Bulgaria played for Russia and is now competing for Uzbekistan, is heavily favored after topping the semifinals in seven minutes and 47.88 seconds, way far from the 8:18.30 that Delgaco clocked to qualify in the medal round.

Also in the field are Shino Yonekawa of Japan, Liu Ruiqi of China, Leung Wing Wun of Hong Kong and Huang Yi Ting of Chinese Taipei.

If luck rolls Delgaco’s way, it’s going to be the Filipinos’ first ever gold medal in the rowing competition of this prestigious continental tourney.

It’s also going to be their first medal since Alvin Amposta and Nestor Cordova clinched a bronze medal in the men’s lightweight doubles sculls in the Busan edition of the Asiad in 2002.

Philippine Rowing Association President Patrick Gregorio admitted that the battle will not be easy but she expects that Delgaco would go all out to make history.

“I’m very happy that Joanie is in the finals. She is the only Southeast Asian rower in the finals tomorrow,” Gregorio, who will be at the stands when Delgaco sees action, said.

“It’s going to be tough competition against No. 1 seed Uzbekistan, then China, Japan, and Chinese Taipei. Joanie will be racing in Lane 2 with the No. 1 seed. Hopefully, she outperforms herself.”

Gregorio admitted that the Uzbek will be a tough nut to crack but there is a chance that Delgaco, the pride of Bicol, will pull off an earth-shaking upset.

“Joanie’s personal best is 7:39, which she did last week in training at the La Mesa Dam,” Gregorio said.

“If she duplicates it, she has a good chance of pulling an upset.”
Also seeing action on the final day of hostilities will be Tokyo Olympics veteran Cris Nievarez.

Nievarez will be competing in the Final B of the men’s single sculls event at 9:20 a.m. to determine his final standing in this tournament.
(AI/MNM)

Image Courtesy of: Inquirer.net

HANGZHOU, China—Rower Joanie Delgaco placed second in the semifinal heat on Friday to progress into the final of the women’s single sculls in the 19th Asian Games at the Fuyang Water Sports Center here.

The 2019 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist stormed out of the gates before Shiho Yonekawa of Japan zoomed past her halfway into the 2,000-meter race to rule the race in eight minutes and 6.32 seconds.

Delgaco then maintained her speed throughout and arrived in 8:18.30, joining Yonekawa in the medal race along with third-placer Wing Wun Leung of Hong Kong (8:20.35).

Tokyo Olympian Cris Nievarez failed to reach the final after winding fourth in his semifinal heat in the men’s single sculls.

Nievarez timed 7:25.65, just three seconds slower than India’s Balraj Panwar (7:22.22) in the semis race where only the top three finishers from each heat advance to the finals.

China’s Liang Zhang finished ahead of the pack in 7:12.77 before Kazakhstan’s Vladislav Yakovlev checked in at second (7:19.27).

Besides Yonekawa and Wing, Delgaco will be in the company of Uzbekistan’s Anna Prakaten, China’s Liu Ruiqi and Taipei’s Huang Yi Ting in the medal race set on Monday.

Prakaten arrived the fastest in the other women’s semis heat in 7:47.88 followed by Liu (7:55.69) and Huang (8:14.36).
(ai/mnm)