Delgaco perfecting stroke, conditioning

Joanie Delgaco is working double time to strengthen her endurance as well as perfect her rowing with the Paris Olympics just around the corner.

National team coach Ed Maerina told DAILY TRIBUNE that they are trying to whip Delgaco into competitive form in training in Metz, France along with other Filipino athletes.

“According to her program set by her foreign coach, I am making her run faster so that she can build up her endurance. Same scenario in the water but this time, she has to row faster,” Maerina said.

The mentor added that they are also polishing Delgaco’s movements after seeing the 26-year-old rower’s performance in the 2024 Asian & Oceania Qualification Regatta last April in Chungju, South Korea.

“We are also refining her strokes so that she gets a good rhythm when she is in the water,” Maerina said of Delgaco, who will be making her Summer Games debut.

Standing in the way of the Delgaco’s attempt at a deep run is Uzbek Anna Prakaten, who ruled the Asian Regatta last April as well as Liu Riqui of China and Shiho Yonekawa of Japan.

The Iriga, Camarines Sur native must also contend against Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Emma Twigg of New Zealand and Magdalena Lobnig of Austria Iriga.

Maerina, an Olympian in the 1988 Seoul Games, believes Delgaco only needs to be consistent with her rowing along with her endurance to pull off an upset.

“The strategy she used in the regatta is what we want to improve on. She gets a good head start but she slows down in the next 1000 meters,” Maerina said.

“We need to make her maintain her momentum after her start.”

Three years ago, Cris Nievarez made it to the quarterfinal of the men’s single sculls in the Tokyo Olympics.