Unlikely duo to pick up cudgels for RP rowers

HANOI–The Philippines is now looking at a pair relatively unfamiliar with each other to provide the gold medal in the rowing competitions of the 22nd Southeast Asian Games.

That after Jose Rodriguez and the partnership of Alvin Amposta and Nestor Cordova could only come up with the silver yesterday at the Ho Tay Boat Club in Hanoi’s West Lake.

Rodriguez finished second to Asian No. 1 Vu Dang Tuan of Vietnam in the lightweight single scull final while the Amposta/Cordova tandem had the same finish against an Indonesian pair.

It would now be up to SEA Games first-timer Emilou Babanto and partner Maricon Fornea to come up with the sorely needed victory through the lightweight pair in today’s all-finals that start at 9 a.m. (10 a.m. in Manila).

Benjie Tolentino, who finished 18th in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, leads the Filipinos’ charge on the event’s final day. Also vying for the gold are Amposta and Cordova in the lightweight double sculls and Cordova, Mark Anthony Galvez, Rowell Tolentino and Rodriguez in the lightweight fours.

But national rowing association president Benjie Ramos pointed out that the chances of the female pair, together for only less than seven months, are better than the males.

"Sila ang may pinakamagandang chances dahil matitindi talaga ang mga kalaban ng mga lalaki natin," said Ramos.

Vu is Tolentino’s main rival and showed his worth by leaving the rest of the field in the final 250 meters. Rodriguez grittily tried to stay abreast and partly succeeded in the last 200m. But the Viet bet was simply too much.

"Sinikap ko talagang makadikit, pero malakas," said Rodriguez. Still, his silver effort was the first for the Filipinos at the start of full, widescale action in the games.