NIEVAREZ DRAWS STRENGTH FROM FAMILY
Rower seeks semifinals in men’s singles sculls
On the eve of the men’s singles sculls quarterfinals in the Tokyo Olympics, rower Cris Nievarez took time to talk to his loved ones at home.
“They’re happy for me and assured me that win or lose, they will support me,” the 21-year-old Filipino on Saturday said.
Nievarez advanced into the four-heat quarterfinals by finishing third on Friday, becoming the first Filipino to reach the next round.
After a training session at the Sea Forest Waterway on Saturday, Nievarez spent the rest of the day relaxing at the room he shares with coach Edgardo Maerina who competed in the Seoul Olympics. “Just resting, doing stretching, flexibility and rehydration,” he said. “Later, recovery food. More on carbs because of the hot weather.” Nievarez, who hails from Atimonan, Quezon, is pitted against rowers from Germany,
Lithuania, Brazil, New Zealand and Iraq in one of the four quarterfinal heats.
“Like in the heats, Cris is targeting a Top Three finish to progress to the next round. He’s calm and focused on his target,” rowing association treasurer Magnum Membrere said. Nievarez will most likely stick to the top two rowers and aim for third place.
Favored in his heat are Oliver Zeidler of Germany and Mindaugas Griskonis of Lithuania.
More on carbs because of the hot weather.
The six-foot-eight Zeidler has won the European and world championships while the 6-2 Griskonis is a three-time European champion with two bronzes at the worlds.
On Friday, Zeidler topped his heat while Griskonis placed second in another heat.
Nievarez is expected to keep a close watch on the other competitors — Brazilian Luca Verthein, Kiwi Jordan Perry, and Iraqi Mohammad Al Khafaji.
Among all these rowers, only the Iraqi progressed to the quarters from the repechage.