NANANATILING kumpiyansa ang Philippine rowing team sa kanilang kampanya sa nalalapit na 31st Hanoi Southeast Asian Games sa kabila na kakarera sila sa hiniram lamang na bangka.
Ayon kay Philippine Rowing Association president Patrick Gregorio, ang Filipino paddlers ay pawang “in high spirits” at sisikaping mapantayan kundi man mahigitan ang tatlong golds na kanilang napanalunan sa biennial meet, tatlong taon na ang nakalilipas, na idinaos sa bansa.
“Three golds in Subic. It will be tougher in Vietnam, but hopefully Cris Nievarez can retain his gold medal, and si Joanie Delgaco will also compete. She also won gold in Subic,” sabi ng rowing federation head sa virtual session of the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum kahapon.
“We’ve been training very hard. No letup. That’s what we’ve been doing ever since.”
Positibo pa rin ang Filipino paddlers sa kabila ng katotohanan na hindi nila madadala ang kanilang mga sariling bangka sa Vietnamese province ng Bac Ninh – halos two-hour drive mula Hanoi – dahil sa tinatawag ni Gregorio na logistical issue.
“Since last month, the PSC (Philippine Sports Commission) already informed us the logistics provider cannot bring it kasi sa container van siya sinasakay, and buti sana kung sa Ho Chi Minh lang ito, but its two hours outside of Hanoi. So it’s very difficult ang logistics process,” ani Gregorio.
“No one’s fault, it is how it is. In terms of logistics, hindi naman maliit na equipment na dadalhin mo lang yan. These are very big boats,” dagdag pa niya. “We did everything to send our boats, but talagang, logistically, the timing is (not right). Not even two months (is enough) to bring in there.”
Ang rowing competition ay gaganapin sa May 9-14 sa Thuy Nguyen Boat Racing Center.
Ang koponan ay nagsagawa ng training camp sa La Mesa dam noong Lunes at aalis patungong Hanoi sa May 6.
