One more chance for Delgaco

PARIS – The morning after the grand opening ceremonies, single sculls rower Joanie Delgaco set out for battle in the placid waters of Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium but missed the top three in her heat that would have meant outright entry into the quarterfinals.

The two-time Southeast Asian Games gold-medal winner will now need to make the top two in her repechage race today to stay in medal contention.

Carlos Yulo could save the day for the Philippines at the start of Paris Games hostilities as the young gymnastics dynamo was among those expected to make a big show in the men’s qualification over at the Barcy Arena last night.

Yulo, finalist in vault and parallel bars in Tokyo in 2021, was to perform in Subdivision 2 starting at 3:30 p.m. (9:30 p.m. in Manila).

On Sunday, Aleah Finnegan, Emma Malabuyo and Levi Ruivivar compete in artistic gymnastics women’s qualification even as fencer Samantha Catantan goes for glory in women’s individual foil while boxer Aira Villegas fights Moroccan Yasmine Mouttaki in women’s 57kg Round of 32.

Delgaco, meanwhile, returns to the Vaires-sur-Marne complex also Sunday, expected to go for broke to stay in the fight for podium finish.

“Maganda pa rin ang prospect. Natapat lang siya kanina sa heat against European powers including the 2022 world champion. Even then, nasa top three siya hanggang sa last 800 meters,” said Philippine Rowing Association president Patrick Gregorio.

The Netherlands’ Karolien Florijn, the 2022 world titlist, lived up to expectation and topped Heat 2 in 7:36.90 followed by Aurelia-Maxima Katharina Janzen of Switzerland (7:41.15) and Nina Kostanjsek of Slovenia (7:46.30).

The volleybelle turned rower Delgaco was actually among the top three through the halfway mark of the 2,000m race but faded as Kostanjsek surged ahead and kept a safe distance to the finish.

Delgaco, slowed down by back muscle stiffness towards the end, wound up fourth in 7:56.26

“Joanie’s third try to qualify in the Olympics, and we are happy she’s now an Olympian,” said Gregorio of the Iriga native.

“Depende sa draw, pwedeng mag top two siya sa repechage, at makapasok pa rin sa quarterfinals,” the rowing chief added. “Actually, mag-top five lang siya sa Asia, at top 20 in the world, happy na kami for her.”

In her heat, Delgaco was able to beat Algeria Nihed Benchandli (8:06.62) and Morocco’s Majdouline El Allaoui (8:30.47).