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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Para swimmer Otom captures gold in World Series Japan leg

Para swimmer Otom captures gold in World Series Japan leg

Published Jun 1, 2026 02:00 pm

At A Glance

  • Paralympic swimmer Angel Otom dominated the women's 50m backstroke event to deliver the country's lone gold in the 2026 World Para Swimming Series in Fuji-Shizuoka, Japan recently.
Angel Mae Otom (Philippine Paralympic Committee)
Angel Mae Otom (Philippine Paralympic Committee)
Paralympic swimmer Angel Otom dominated the women’s 50m backstroke event to deliver the country’s lone gold in the 2026 World Para Swimming Series in Fuji-Shizuoka, Japan recently.
The 22-year-old Otom touched the pad in 47.89 seconds in her pet event, a performance that outshone the efforts of Spaniard Teresa Perlas (1:13.51) and Thai Plaifa Thongrueang (1:27.55), who settled for silver and bronze honors, respectively.
Otom, a University of the Philippines standout, earned 812 points for her victory in the said category.
Apart from her victory in backstroke, Otom, who guns for another Paralympic return in Los Angeles in 2028, copped bronze in the women’s 50m butterfly after posting 46.52 seconds.
Otom captured her first medal in the opener where she trailed behind eventual gold winner Colombian Sara Vargas Blanco (35.53sec) and silver medalist Japanese An Nishida (37.38sec).
It was a stellar showing for Otom who plucked five golds and one silver to spearhead the Philippines’ 134-medal win – the country’s most fruitful stint – at the 13th ASEAN Para Games in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand earlier this year.
Meanwhile in the youth 50m butterfly, Raemond Adefiuin also won bronze after tallying 34.31 seconds – his new personal best in the said event.
Adefuin, 15, reached the podium alongside Uzbek Sardir Bakhtiyorov (31.37sec) and Santiago Leon Prada of Colombia (32.39sec), who took the first and second place, respectively.
The World Para Swimming Series is a nine-leg meet where top para swimmers across the globe participate. It kicked off last February in Australia and it concludes this year’s edition in Abu Dhabi, the UAE in November.

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