Delgaco settles for 6th place

KAIZU, Japan — Joanie Delgaco wrapped up her women’s single sculls campaign in the 20th Asian Games with a sixth-place finish in Final A on Thursday at the Nagaragawa International Regatta Course here.

Delgaco clocked 8:01.63 in the medal race, while China’s Zhang Xinyu dominated the field to capture the gold medal in 7:21.53. Uzbekistan’s Anna Prakaten claimed silver, while Iran’s Fatemeh Mojallal Topraghhale took bronze.

Despite missing the podium, Delgaco said she was thankful to have completed the race and was satisfied that she had given her best.

“Even though I didn’t make it to the podium, I’m thankful because I finished the race. My performance turned out well, and I have no regrets because I gave it my absolute best,” Delgaco said.

The Filipina rower recalled thinking about the sacrifices and preparations that brought her to the Asian Games, including a two-and-a-half-month training camp in Germany following their initial preparations in the Philippines.

“Even at the starting line, I was already thinking about everything we put into our training. We started in the Philippines, then went to Germany where we trained for two and a half months. That’s where I was based, and I really held onto all the hard work we put in. I was hoping I could carry that through here, but unfortunately, it still wasn’t enough,” she said.

Delgaco admitted that she became emotional after the race, knowing she had given her best but still fell short of a medal. However, she said she believes there is a reason behind the result and hopes to bounce back in her next competition.

She also credited the support of her family, particularly her parents and siblings, for encouraging her to keep going and believe in herself.

With her single sculls campaign now concluded, Delgaco is setting her sights on the next challenge: the Olympic qualification campaign next year.

“Right now, I have nothing else on my mind except to bounce back next year in the Olympic qualifiers. This has become one of my biggest motivations to redeem myself,” she said.

Delgaco’s sixth-place finish closes the Philippine rowing team’s campaign in the women’s single sculls at the Asian Games, as she looks ahead to another opportunity to improve and pursue her Olympic aspirations.