By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Joanie Delgaco booked a spot to the medal round following her impressive semifinal showing in the rowing competition at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China on Friday, Sept. 22.
The 25-year-old Delgaco, who won silver at the 2021 Southeast Asian Games, placed second in her semis grouping of the women’s singles sculls after timing 8 minutes and 18.30 seconds.
She actually started hot by ranking first after 500 meters, but saw herself trail behind Shiho Yonekawa of Japan in the last 1500m.
Yonekawa topped their group with 8:06.32 while Hong Kong’s Leung Wing Wun timed 8:20.35 to also advance to the final.
Other final qualifiers include Uzbekistan’s Anna Prakaten, who topped the semifinal group A with 7:47.88, China’s Liu Ruiqi (7:55.69) and Chinese Taipei’s Huang Yi ting (8:14.36).
Finals will be on Monday, Sept. 25 at the Fuyang Water Sports Centre.
Meanwhile, Tokyo Olympian Cris Nievarez came up short of making into the medal round of the men’s single sculls after finishing fourth in his semifinal group with 7:25.65.
Like in the women’s side, only the Top 3 rowers from each semis group will advance to the final.
