Filipina rower Joanie Delgaco knows the odds are against her in the quarterfinals of the women’s single sculls in the 2024 Paris Olympics at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium.

One of only four Asian rowers to advance to the quarterfinals, Delgaco is in Heat 3 along with some of the top contenders for the podium — including Tokyo gold medalist Emma Twigg from New Zealand, former under-23 world champion Katharina Jansen of Switzerland, Virginia Diaz of Spain, Diana Dymchenko of Azerbaijan, and Jovana Arsic of Serbia.

Twigg holds the Olympic record after clocking 7:13.97 in the Tokyo Summer Games.

Only the Top 3 in each of the four heats will advance to the semifinals A/B, which are the medal races. The rest are relegated to the semis C/D, where they will race for placement in the Top 24.

“It’s a tough field,” Philippine Rowing Association president Patrick Gregorio said of Delgaco’s heat.

“But knowing our Joanie, lalaban ‘yan. All out ‘yan,” he assured.

“I told Joanie yesterday after her repechage race — go all out. No stress. We all support you. Our countrymen love you. Enjoy the quarterfinals,” Gregorio added.

“I want to see you in Los Angeles in 2028.”

According to Gregorio, Delgaco’s response to his message was: “Yes po. Laban po sa quarterfinals, at babalik tayo sa Olympics sa 2028.”

Delgaco, 26 years old, had just missed out on direct qualification to the quarters after placing fourth in her heat with a time of 7:56.26.

She dominated in the repechage on Sunday, July 28, with a better time of 7:55 to grab a place in the quarterfinals and ensure that she would finish in the Top 24 in her maiden Games.

Even though the rest of the rowers in her quarterfinals heat all have faster times than her, Delgaco is determined to prove that she belongs with the world’s best.

The other Asians vying in the quarterfinals are Iranian Fatemeh Mojallaltopraghghale, Vietnamese Thi Hue Pham and Uzbek Anna Prakaten. (ABS-CBN News)