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PH Paralympians leave for Tokyo

Sports

PH Paralympians leave for Tokyo

By Kristel Satumbaga-Villar

A small Philippine contingent left for Tokyo, Japan Sunday when they compete in the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Paralympics scheduled to fire off Aug. 24 to Sept. 5.

The delegation is composed of six para athletes hoping to ride on the success of their national team counterparts in the Tokyo Olympics where the country went home with one gold, two silver and one bronze medal.

Wheelchair racer Jerrold Mangliwan, para swimmer Ernie Gawilan and para powerlifter Achelle Guion, who are in their second Paralympic appearance, banner the PH squad also composed of Gary Bejino (para swimming), Allain Ganapin (para taekwondo) and Jeanette Aceveda (para athletics).

While they admitted that they do not feel the pressure to deliver medals, Gawilan said they are not going to the tournament just to compete.

“Class A po yung mga atleta na nandoon. Hindi lang siya bato-bato pick na madaling laruin,” said Gawilan, who brought the country’s first gold medal in the Asian Para Games last 2018.

Gawilan, who also speaks for the rest of the team, said they are eyeing to make it to the finals first before setting their goals on bigger things.

Bejino and Guion will first see action for the team on Aug. 26 when they compete in the men’s 200m individual medley SM6 in swimming and women’s -45kg in para powerlifting, followed by Gawilan and Mangliwan on Aug. 27 in the men’s 200m IM SM7 in para swimming and men’s 400m T52 in para athletics.

Gawilan will also see action in the 400m freestyle S7 on Aug. 29 and 100m backstroke S7 on Aug. 30; Bejino in men’s 50m butterfly S6 and 400m free S6 on Sept. 24 as well as 100m backstroke S6 on Sept. 3; Mangliwan in men’s 1500m T2 on Aug. 28 and men’s 100m T52 on Sept. 2 in para athletics; Aceveda in women’s discus throw F11 on Aug. 31; and Ganapin in men’s -75kg K44 in para taekwondo on Sept. 3.

Related Tags

achelle guion gary bejino jerrold mangliwan allain Ganapin Tokyo Paralympics ernie gawilan

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