Pinoy rowers add 2 golds

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines ruled the 10-seater and 20-seater senior mixed 200-meter races to add two more gold medals in the ICF World Dragon Boat Championships at the Lake Lanier Olympic Park in Gainesville, Georgia Saturday.

Led by veteran paddlers Hermie Macaranas and Mark Jhon Frias, the Filipinos poured it all out in the final 50 meters for a 50.46-second clocking in the small boat category in a finish that impressed their world-class rivals.

They beat France (53.056) while Hungary took the bronze (53.158).

“On a shorter course such as the 200m, you need to produce faster and powerful strokes to become successful,” said coach Diomedes Manalo whose wards surpassed their medal tally in 2016 Moscow.

The Pinoys did exactly the game plan in capturing their fourth gold in the big boat, clocking 43.481 seconds to subdue Czech Republic (46.082) and US (46.146).

Besides the four gold medals, the national team also pocketed two silvers in the small boat senior men’s 500m and big boat senior mixed 2000m race.

The Pinoy paddlers target another gold in the 10-seater senior men 200m on Sunday.

Jordan De Guia, John Paul Selencio, Lee Robin Santos, Jonathan Ruz, Daniel Ortega, Reymart Nevado, John Lester Delos Santos will join hands with Christine Mae Talledo, Sharmaine Mangilit, Apple Jane Abitona, Raquel Almencion and Lealyn Baligasa in the big boat senior mixed 200m.