‘Driven’ Macaranas eyes Olympic berth in Thai rowing tourney

Rower Hermie Macaranas achieved a breakthrough for the Philippines when he ruled the canoeing sprint singles in the recent 30th Southeast Asian Games.

The country’s top canoeist aims to accomplish another first in his bid to wear the national colors in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

“It will be more challenging in the qualifying races. I have to work on improving my speed and technique,’’ said Macaranas, who topped the canoe men’s 200 meters in historic fashion during the SEA Games.The 24-year-old team captain of the Philippine Canoe Kayak Dragonboat Federation (PCKDF) will try to book a ticket to Tokyo in the 2020 Canoe Sprint Asian Championships on March 26 and 27 in Pattaya, Thailand.

Macaranas, who likewise grabbed a pair of silver medals in the singles 1000 meters and doubles 200 meters with Ojay Fuentes, will have a final crack to become the first Filipino paddler in the Olympics during the 2020 ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup on May 21-24 in Duisburg, Germany.

“We are crossing our fingers that Hermie can qualify [for the Olympics]. He is driven to achieve it,’’ said PCKDF head coach Len Escollante.

In a sport dominated largely by Europeans, PCKDF president Jonne Go said the Asian Canoe Confederation has been working on creating opportunities for more Asians to qualify in the Olympics and eventually capture a medal.

“It’s part of my job to provide opportunities for Asian paddlers to make it to the Olympics and we’re really hoping that Hermie will make it,’’ said Go, elected recently as vice president of the Asian Canoe Confederation (ACC).

Go will serve as ACC vice president over the next four years after being elected during the recent ACC gathering in Pattaya, Thailand.

“This may mean more work for me as I was appointed to chair the sports development program for the Asian continent,’’ Go said. INQ