PH rower Ilas pockets bronze in China

Ilas won the bronze medal in the lightweight double event with Benjamin Tolentino in the 2015 Southeast Asian Games in Singapore. He has competed in the 2016 Asian Beach Games in Danang, Vietnam and the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea. (Photo: worldrowing.com)

MANILA — National team member Edgar Ilas has won the bronze medal in the Asian Coastal Rowing Championships held from Dec. 15-17 in Shenzhen, Guangdong province in China.

In an interview with Radyo Pilipinas 2 (DZSR Sports Radio) on Tuesday, coach Edgardo Maerina said Ilas placed third behind entries from China and Thailand in the men’s lightweight single sculls event.

Ilas won the bronze medal in the lightweight double event with Benjamin Tolentino in the 2015 Southeast Asian Games in Singapore. He has competed in the 2016 Asian Beach Games in Danang, Vietnam and the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea.

Ilas is one of the three veterans left in the national rowing team following the retirement of 2000 Sydney Olympics campaigner Tolentino and Asian Games and SEA Games medalist Alvin Amposta.

Ilas and newcomers Melcah Jen Caballero and Zuriel Sumintac, together with coach Maricon Fornea, are poised to attend a three-month camp training in China under the World Rowing Federation and the Asian Rowing Federation program.

The camp is part of the athletes’ preparation for the Asian Games in Indonesia next year.

Maerina said that the Philippine Rowing Association, headed by Quintin Pastrana, plans to send the national team to two international tournaments next year to meet the requirements set by the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) for athletes wanting to compete in the Asian Games.

The two tournaments are the Asian Cup in Singapore in April and the Asian Championships in South Korea in June.

 (PNA)