Philippines’ rower Cris Nievarez places in Top 3, advances to quarters in Tokyo Olympics

Cris Nievarez opens the country’s campaign for its first gold at the Olympics. Cris Nievarez FB.

The Philippines’ rowing champion, Cris Nievarez, has placed in the Top 3 of the Men’s Single Sculls Heat and is advancing to the quarterfinals at the Tokyo Olympics.

Cris Nievarez of Atimonan, Quezon, is the first Filipino athlete to see action in the Tokyo Olympics as the quadrennial games’ first event on opening day, July 23, 2021.

The 21-year-old Filipino rower clocked 7 minutes and 22.97 seconds to place 3rd in heat 5 held at the Sea Forest Waterway in Tokyo, Japan.

Nievarez reached the finish line after Croatia’s champion Damir Martin (1st, 7:09.17) and Russian champion Alexander Vyazovkin (2nd, 7:14.95).

The Filipino along with the other top three finishers earned outright berths to the quarterfinals.

Filipino athlete Cris Nievarez secured his spot in the quarterfinals after his 3rd place finish in the opening day heats of Men’s Single Sculls.

The Southeast Asian Games gold medalist for the Philippines earned a spot for the Summer Olympics after participating in the Asia & Oceania Olympic & Paralympic Qualification Regatta held in Tokyo which wrapped up in May.

Nievarez was awarded the slot by virtue of continental qualification regattas where 5 national Olympic committees (NOCs) including the Philippines are awarded a slot in one rowing event at the quadrennial meet.

Philippines’ champion rower Cris Nievarez qualifies for Tokyo Olympics

Nievarez’s qualification is the first time in 20 years that a Filipino rower qualified for the Olympics after Benjie Tolentino qualified for the 2000 Sydney edition.

Cris Nievarez is one of the 19 Filipinos campaigning for the Philippines’ 1st Olympic Gold in Tokyo.

Here’s How to Watch the 19 Filipino Olympians Compete in the Tokyo Olympics.

SEND CHEERS in the comments below to the Philippines’ rowing champion Cris Nievarez for his Top 3 finish and advancing to the quarterfinals of the Men’s Single Sculls in the Tokyo Olympics!

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