Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 10) – 2019 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Hermie Macaranas will lead the anchor for the Philippine canoe kayak team in the biennial sports event’s next staging in Hanoi, Vietnam next month.
Macaranas heads the 12-strong Philippine team lineup shared by national team coach Duch Co to CNN Philippines.
The 26-year-old Macaranas ended the country’s two-decade gold medal drought in the last SEAG held on home soil after he topped the men’s canoe singles 200-meter event. He also took home two silvers in the men’s canoe singles 1000-meter category and the men’s canoe doubles 200-meter category with Ojay Fuentes.
In Vietnam, Macaranas and Fuentes will again pair up in the men’s canoe doubles 1000-meter event. They are also part of the men’s canoe four 500-meter team – along with Leo Remarim, John Paul Selencio, and reserve Roger Masbate.
Remarim, Selencio, Masbate, John James Pelagio will comprise the Filipino quartet in the men’s canoe four 1000-meter race.
Rosalyn Esguerra – the lone Filipina in the 12-strong Philippine canoe kayak team in Hanoi – is listed in the women’s canoe singles 200-meter and 1000-meter events.
In the kayak competitions, Dexy Manalo aims for a podium finish in the men’s single 1000-meter race and as a reserve in the men’s kayak four 500-meter category.
Manalo is joined by Kim Borromeo, Christian Burgos, and Lee Robert, and Lee Robin Santos in the men’s kayak four Philippine team.
Borromeo, Burgos, and the Santos siblings will row for the medal in the men’s kayak 1000-meter event.
Members of the Philippine canoe kayak team are training in Leyte for their SEAG preparations – guided by coaches Len Escollante and Christian Abejar.
