Tolentino makes rowing final; teammates sink

The Philippine rowing team sputtered in mid-morning races, failing to finish in the top three of four events held at the La Mesa Dam in Quezon City yesterday.

Olympian Benjamin Tolentino was the lone bright spot for the Nationals as he won his heat in the lightweight men single sculls, finishing the 2000 meters race in 7:42.19, to gain a berth in the finals tomorrow.

In the women’s single scull, Indonesia’s Pere Karoba, the 2003 SEAG gold medalist, ruled the preliminary race, while RP’s Nida Cordova finished a distant fourth.

The pair of Clothelde Nillas and Johna Lyn Peirita finished fifth in the lightweight women’s double sculls race won by Thailand’s Phaengkathok and Nikree Phuttharaska, also a 2003 SEAG gold medalist.

Tolentino, on the other hand, failed to win his second race as he and partner Jose Rodriguez placed fourth in the men’s coxless pair event won by Indonesia’s Aji Agus and Iswandi, gold medalists in the Vietnam Games. – Brian Adrian Borleo