Rowers step up training in quest for Olympic berths

Rowers hoping to make waves in Olympic qualifying events are stepping up their training in camps far from the threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tokyo hopefuls Cris Nievarez, who has pitched his training at La Mesa Dam in Quezon City, and Hermie Macaranas, who has been paddling off the coast of Tacloban City for the past three months, are deep in their push to book an Olympic berth.

Nievarez, the men’s lightweight single sculls champion in the Southeast Asian Games held in Subic last year, has been training daily with another Olympic hopeful in Joanie Delgaco, who won the lightweight double sculls gold in the SEA Games with Melcah Jen Caballero.

“Some of our athletes who have been self-training at home started coming back to the La Mesa Training Center [last] July,’’ Philippine Rowing Association president Patrick Gregorio said.

Caballero, the women’s lightweight single sculls SEA Games champion, and Roque Abala Jr., Nievarez’ partner in the men’s lightweight double sculls, are still on active duty in their military units.

Gregorio said both will be released in the first week of October until after the Tokyo Olympics next year. INQ