Good News Pilipinas 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. - Advertisement - 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.