THE Philippine Rowing Association hopes to end a 20-year drought as five-man team leaves for Japan with a mission to book a berth in the coming Tokyo Olympics.
Zuriel Sumintac, Roque Abala Jr., Cris Nievarez, Melcah Jen Caballero, and Joanie Delgaco will carry the country’s tricolors in the World Rowing Asian and Oceania Olympic Qualification Regatta in Tokyo, Japan.
The meet is set from May 5 to 7.
The five Filipinos will try to attempt the feat of towering Benjie Tolentino, who was the last rower to see action in the Olympics during the 2000 Sydney Games.
Sumintac and Abala are seeing action in the lightweight men’s double sculls, Caballero and Delgaco in the lightweight women’s double sculls, and Nievarez in the men’s single sculls.
Rowing association President Patrick Gregorio led the simple sendoff for the Philippine contingent together with coach and team manager Edgardo Maerina.

“They all have a chance. They deserve to get a chance,” said Gregorio.
Rowing accounted for three gold medals during the 2019 Southeast Asian Games held in Subic, with Caballero emerging a double gold medalist after topping the women’s lightweight single sculls, and then teaming up with Delgaco to rule the women’s lightweight double sculls. Nievarez produced the remaining gold in the men’s lightweight single sculls.
The team leaves for the Japanese capital on May 1.
Despite the surge in COVID-19 cases in Tokyo, Gregorio said Japanese organizers allowed the exemption of holding the pre-Olympic qualifier but under a strict health protocol system.
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