Delgaco enlists for Navy training camp

MALVAR, Batangas — After her memorable stint in the Paris Olympics, Rower Joanie Delgaco will undergo a six-month training in the Philippine Navy in December.

Delgaco told DAILY TRIBUNE her decision to undergo basic training is to secure her future once she calls it quits from rowing.

The 26-year-old rower recently received a year’s worth of ice cream from Aice during a thanksgiving event here at the Holiday Inn and Suites Batangas Limapark on Thursday.

“For me, I won’t be strong forever. That’s why I enlisted in the Navy as a fallback because if I can’t be strong enough to row anymore, I can still work,” Delgaco said.

“I will be done by the first week of July.”

Delgaco said with next year’s Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand to be held from 9 to 20 December, she hopes to train in the Netherlands via her Olympic Solidarity scholarship.

The Iriga, Camarines Sur finished the Summer Games as the best-ranking Southeast Asian rower after finishing in 20th place in the women’s single sculls.

“For me, there’s pressure since I recently played in the Olympics so there’s a huge expectation on my shoulders. Maybe once I finish my duties, I will try to catch up on my training for the SEA Games,” Delgaco said.

“I will choose where I want to train and I’m leaning toward the Netherlands. I noticed how good their rower’s performance is and it’s one of my main motivations to train overseas with the best they have.”