WITH Typhoon Tisoy no longer in the horizon, the Philippine rowing and canoe-kayak teams expect to add to the country’s gold-medal haul in the 30th Southeast Asian Games, in Subic.
The canoe-kayak competitions start on Friday at the Malawaan Park, while the rowing events will be held at the Triboa Bay.
Philippine Canoe Kayak Head Coach Len Escollante is confident of winning the gold medals in the 1,000-meter and 200-meter mixed standard boat events, as well as the in the 500-meter men’s race.
“We are eyeing to win at least three of the six gold medals at stake,” said Escollante, who noted that the good weather and familiarity of the venue will help the team.
“ We have an advantage on the climate, wind condition and the boats. We want to come up with a good finish and make the country proud,” Escollante said.
Set for Friday are the 1,000-m singles men’s elimination at 8:45 a.m. followed by 1000-m men’s doubles eliminations at 9:45 a.m. and the 500-m singles women’s elimination scheduled at 10:45 a.m.
The semifinals and finals are also set later Friday.
The Philippine rowing team, meanwhile, expressed its readiness to capture three to four gold medals. The competitions kick off on Friday with Head Coach, Olympian Edgardo Maerina, hoping for the overall honors.
The Philippines will be led by multi-SEA Games gold winner Nestor Cordova, the promising Cris Nievarez and top female rower Melcah Jen Caballero, who made a splash when she won gold in Hong Kong last month.