Joanie Delgaco is setting a lofty goal in her first ever appearance in the rowing competition of the Paris Olympics.

Delgaco told Daily Tribune that she will be aiming to become the first Filipino rower to make it to the Olympic semifinals when she vies in the women’s single sculls event at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium starting 27 July.

Delgaco made her first ever trip to the Summer Games after clocking 43.39 seconds to finish fourth in the World Rowing Asian and Oceania Olympic Qualification Regatta in Chungju, South Korea last April.

“I didn’t get a podium finish in the Asian Games. My opponents there are the same ones I faced in the qualifiers,” Delgaco said, saying that she is determined to make an impact in the biggest and most prestigious sports event in the world.

But the mission will not be easy.

“I think I can go as far as the semis.”

No Filipino rower had ever made it past the preliminaries of the Summer Games. Current national team coach Ed Maerina failed to make it in 1988 in Seoul, Benjie Tolentino in 2000 in Sydney and Nievarez in 2021 in Tokyo, putting pressure on Delgaco to complete her date with history.

Delgaco can pull off a surprise as she made an impact last year in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou after making it to the final round of the women’s singles sculls.

She, however, fell short, settling for a fifth-place finish in the final round with a time of eight minutes and 05.93 seconds.

This time, she said she is determined to make up for it and paddle all the way to the medal round.

But the mission will not be easy.

Blocking her path will be Anna Prakaten of Uzbeksitan, who topped the Asian Regatta last April, as well as Liu Riqui of China and Shiho Yonekawa of Japan.