Kristine Paraon hopes she will have her turn rowing in the Olympics someday. —JUNE NAVARRO
Reaping accolades in international rowing is fast turning into a habit for newbie Kristine Paraon.
In less than three years when she began gripping a pair of oars, Paraon has already stacked one side of her room with an assortment of medals, including two from the world championships.
The 21-year-old discovery from Zamboanga City will add another hardware on her wall of fame back home from the just-concluded 2024 Southeast Asian Rowing Federation Championships in Hai Pong, Vietnam.
“There’s no dream that can be [made] real without hard work,’’ Paraon told the Inquirer after a surprising come-from-behind, gold-medal performance in the women’s single sculls of the biggest rowing event of the region.
Paraon fiercely chased down Vietnam’s Thi Thu Hang Tran in the 250 meters to rule the 2,000-m race in eight minutes and 53.71 seconds.
Paraon eventually finished five seconds ahead of Tran and 41 ticks away from bronze medalist Purwanti Dewi of Indonesia in a preview of next year’s Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand.
“My goal as an elite rower is to break my best time every time I go out there on the water. I also want to encourage more kids to try my sport,’’ said Paraon, whose achievements didn’t go unnoticed after receiving a plaque during the 2024 Women In Sports Awards of the Philippine Sports Commission.
She was a gold and silver medalist during the 2023 world indoor championships and claimed another silver in the Asian Rowing Junior and U23 Championships last year.
Paraon likewise bagged two bronzes in the 2023 Thailand Asia Cup and in another continental-level meet in Korea early this year.
“You should see the video where she chased the leader in the last 250 meters. We’re proud of her,’’ said Philippine Rowing Association president Patrick Gregorio, who attended the SEARF Congress during the meet.
Rowers Rynjie Peñaredondo, Van Maxilom, RJ Acosta and Athens Tolentino also reached the podium with a silver by clocking 6:53.41 in the U23 event while the quartet of Carmela Erquiaga, Julia Letrondo, Aba Abalos and Car Ultra timed 9:22.61 for second place in the U19 race.
Tokyo Olympian Cris Nievarez similarly got a silver in the men’s single sculls and Marco Reyes teamed up with Renoir Reyes in copping a bronze in the junior men’s doubles sculls.
Tammy Sha and Feiza Lenton placed second in the lightweight women’s double sculls while other medalists were Math Jugadora and Marco Reyes (bronze, U19 men’s pair) and Aba Abalos and Car Ultra (bronze, U23 women’s doubles sculls).
Team Philippines wrapped up its campaign in Vietnam with a third-place output in the women’s quadruple sculls courtesy of Tammy Sha, Feiza Lenton, Amelyn Pagulayan and Kristian Paraon and another bronze from Khayzie Caviltes and Ayonna Huerto in the U19 women’s pair.
One more world-caliber race has been scheduled for Paraon before the year ends, which she considers another step to her ultimate goal of rowing in the Olympics.
“It’s the dream of every athlete. But with patience, determination and training, it’s not impossible,’’ said Paraon, emboldened by the Paris Olympics qualification of Joanie Delgaco as the first female Filipino rower in the Games.
“Ate Joanie is my inspiration,’’ added Paraon. INQ