CRIS NIEVAREZ moved closer to securing a ticket to the Tokyo Olympics by advancing to the men’s singles sculls semifinals on Thursday in the World Rowing Asia and Oceania Olympic and Paralympic Qualification Regatta at the Sea Forest Waterway in Shinagawa-ku in Tokyo, Japan.
Nievarez, a gold medalist in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games in Subic, topped the repechage with a time of eight minutes and 11.40 seconds to advance to Friday’s semifinals.
Thailand’s Chanin Sinsomboon (8:39.80), Qatar’s Ali Buojallouf (9:15.76) and Kuwait’s Abdulrahman Alfadhel (9:28.97) finished behind the Filipino in the 2,000-meter race.
“We are crossing our fingers for Nievarez and hoping that he makes it to Tokyo,” Philippine Rowing Association president Patrick “Pato” Gregorio said.
Niervaez’s time ranked eighth among the 12 semifinalists—Japan’s Ryuta Arakawa (7:44), Uzbekistan’s Mehkrojbek Mamatkulov (8:04), Iran’s Bahman Nasiri (8:06), Indonesia’s Mema Memo (8:07), India’s Jakar Khan (8:07), Hong Kong’s Chi Fung Chan (8:08), Kazakhstan’s Vladislav Yakovlev (8:11), Iraq’s Mohammed Al-Khafaji (8:18), Vietnam’s Hieu Nguyen Van (8:30), Thailand’s Chanin Sinsomboon (8:39) and Qatar’s Ali Buojallouf (9:15).
The top five times in the semifinals will qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.
Nievarez finished fourth in the morning heat in 8:21.05 time, with Mekhrojbek Mamatkulov of Uzbekistan submitting a fastest time of 8:04.96. Hong Kong’s Chin Fung Chan was second with 8:08.33 and Iraq’s Mohammed Al-Khafaji placed third with 8:18.24 time.
The weather was perfect for racing, unlike on Wednesday when the matches were canceled because of strong winds and rough waters.
Head Coach Edgardo Macabitas Maerina said Nievarez had to work doubly hard on Friday as he races against strong rowers from Uzbekistan, Hong Kong and Iraq.
“He had some stiffness in his shoulder due to the cold morning but he’s okay now,” Maerina said. “Cris is a fighter and he’s ready for tomorrow.
The other Filipino bets—Melcah Jen Caballero and Jonie Delgaco and Zueriel Sumintac and Roque Abala Jr.—crashed out in their bid to earn Olympic slots.
Caballero and Delgaco clocked 8:14.30 to finished third behind Vietnam’s Luong Thi Thao and Dihn Thi Hao (7:59.96) and South Korea’s Jang Wonbeen and Kang Chaerim in women’s double sculls.
Sumintac and Abala Jr. timed 7:39.35 for fourth place behind No. 1 Uzbeks Shakhboz Kholmurzaev and Sobirjon Safaroliyav (7:10.81), Kazakhs Anastas Shashkov and Alexandr Afanasyev (7:16.53) and Koreans Hyonbo Sim and Minhyuk Lee (7:20.28).
Maerina is the first Filipino to qualify for Olympic rowing in Seoul 1988 while Benjamin Tolentino was the last to see action in the Olympics in Sydney 2000.
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