HANGZHOU—Joanie Delgaco placed second in the semifinals on Friday to progress into the final of women’s single sculls of rowing to be in position of the Philippines’ first medal in the 19th Asian Games at the Fuyang Water Sports Center.
A gold medalist in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games back home, Delgaco stormed into the lead before Shiho Yonekawa of Japan zoomed past her halfway the 2,000-meter race to rule the race in eight minutes and 6.32 seconds.
Delgaco maintained her speed and crossed in 8:18.30, joining Yonekawa in the medal race along with third-placer Wing Wun Leung of Hong Kong (8:20.35).
“We’re so proud of her, especially PRA [Philippine Rowing Association] president Patrick Gregorio and the coaching staff because her hard work paid off,” PRA secretary-general Magnum Membrere said. “Let’s hope and pray she gets a medal.”
“The job’s not finished. She’ll relax for the opening ceremony but she will remain focused for the final,” Membrere added.
Tokyo Olympian Cris Nievarez was fourth in his semifinal in men’s single sculls to miss the final.
Nievarez’s time of 7:25.65 was only three seconds slower than India’s Balraj Panwar (7:22.22) in the semifinals 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 with 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).
Delgaco will be up against rivals from China, Uzbekistan, Hong Kong, Taipei and Japan in Monday’s final.