SEA Games: Joanie Delgaco, Kristine Paraon strike gold in rowing

Joanie Delgaco and Kristine Paraon made waves early on Tuesday as they clinched a gold medal in the 2025 SEA Games women's double sculls finals at The Royal Thai Navy Rowing and Canoeing Training Center in Thailand. 

The Pinay tandem did so after clocking in eight minutes and 16.976 seconds to rule the event and deliver the country's first gold from rowing. 

Host Thailand captured the silver medal with a time of 8:21.634 while Vietnam snared the bronze with a time of 8:26.447. 

The 27-year-old Delgaco is no stranger to big tournaments as she previously bannered the Philippines in the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she emerged as the first-ever Filipina to ever compete at the Summer Games. 

Meanwhile, another Olympian in Cris Nievarez, who suited up back in the Tokyo Summer Games in 2021, brought home another medal for the country by finishing third in the men's single sculls finals with a time of 8:22.121. 

La Memo of Indonesia seized the gold by finishing first with a time of 8:10.247 while hometown bet Premanut Wattananusith of Thailand came in second with 8:15.827. 

—Bea Micaller/JMB, GMA Integrated News