Nievarez eyes personal best

MANILA, Philippines — Rowing sensation Cris Nievarez knows that he has to bulk and strengthen up for him to have a memorable performance in the Tokyo Olympics in July.

Nievarez became the eighth Filipino qualifier to the coming Olympics after earning a spot last Monday via qualification rules. His goal is to improve on his personal best of seven minutes and 10 seconds in the men’s singles sculls.

And he would need to have greater stamina and power to achieve that.

“Goal ko makadikit sa mga malalakas na country, mga Europeans, ma-improve yung time ko, makadikit sa mga medalists ng Olympics,” said the 21-year-old Southeast Asian Games gold medal winner during yesterday’s PSA Forum.

“Kaya kailangan pa dagdag sa muscle and endurance,” he added.

Philippine Rowing Association (PRA) president Patrick Gregorio said they would do everything to support the Atimonan, Quezon native.

“Lahat ng additional training, ibigay natin kay Cris. Hahanap tayo ng suporta para mabigyan sya ng exposure,” said Gregorio. “Our focus is going to be on Cris for the next two months.”

Nievarez is one of the country’s biggest success stories of the year as he qualified to Tokyo despite having only trained at La Mesa Dam.

For his effort, Nievarez will join pole-vaulter EJ Obiena, gymnast Caloy Yulo, boxers Eumir Marcial, Irish Magno, Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam and 2016 Rio Olympics weightlifting silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz in the search for the elusive gold in the Olympics.

We plan to have a national training center in Ternate, Cavite. It is perfect for a regional training hub and andyan lang Benjie para magturo, said Gregorio, referring to 2000 Sydney Olympics veteran Benjie Tolentino.