OFF TO A GOOD START

Rower Nievarez earns quarterfinals berth

- TITO S. TALAO

TOKYO — The path has been lit for gymnast Carlos Yulo, boxer Nesthy Petecio, tae-kwondo jin Kurt Barbosa and swimmer Remedy Rule when they make their much-awaited debuts today during Day 2 of the XXXII Olympiad.

Team Philippines’ campaign in the pandemic-delayed Summer Games here, briefly shaken by news of a COVID-19 case among its ranks, got off to a windblown start as rower Cris Nievarez, towered over in length and built by opponents from Croatia and Russia, qualified to the quarterfinals of the men’s single sculls yesterday by placing third in heat No. 5 of the preliminaries at the Sea Forest Waterway.

Nievarez’s time of seven minutes and 22.97 seconds over the 2,000meter Olympic distance catapulted him to the 24-man quarters tomorrow and averted having to get through to the semis via a crunching repechage.

Croatia’s Damir Martin checked in first at 7:09.17 after breaking away in the first 500 meters. Less than six minutes behind is Russia’s Alexander Vyazovkin at 7:14.95, some eight minutes ahead of Nievarez.

“Masarap sa pakiramdan na sa unang race ko e maganda ang naging resulta,” said Nievarez. “Ngayon ang target naman po e mag-pangatlo uli sa quarterfinals para makapasok sa AP semifinals.”

The Croatian rower towed the field in dominant fashion in the first 500 meters, with Nievarez duelling for second spot against the Russian and Nicaragua’s Felix Potoy (7:32.54).

“Hinayaan ko na yung Croatia na mauna, silver medalist yon sa world,” said Nievarez. “Kasabayan ko na halos dikit yung Russian at Nicaraguan.