The power of the human spirit outshined the Eiffel Tower from Aug. 28 to Sept. 8, when 4,400 para athletes competed in 22 sports and 549 events, in front of 3.4 million spectators at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
Surmounting the limitations of disability, the Paralympians rushed toward the finish lines of their events to bring home gold, silver, or bronze medals. Their performances sent clear messages of inspiration that elicited thunderous cheers from the huge crowds.
We welcome home the six Filipino Paralympians who added to the inspiration of the human spirit in Paris. President Marcos had called them “already champions” when he sent them off Aug. 26. They are: Swimmers Ernie Gawilan and Angel Otom, Archer Agustina Bantiloc, taekwondo jin Allain Ganapin, wheelchair racer Jerrold Mangliwan, and javelin thrower Cendy Asusano.
They were welcomed by President Marcos, along with First Lady Liza Marcos and their sons William Vincent and Joseph Simon, in a ceremony at the Malacañan Palace on Thursday, Sept. 12. The President awarded each of them a cash incentive of ₱1 million and Presidential citations.
The para athletes registered personal best records. Asusano finished fourth in the F54 event; Otom made the finals of her two events — placing fifth in the women’s 50-meter butterfly S5 event, and sixth in the 50m backstroke S5; Gawilan ranked sixth in the 400m freestyle S7 finals; Mangliwan made the 400-meter T52 finals.
“Our para athletes did their best at the Paris Paralympics but fell short of reaching the podium. We are proud of their valiant efforts, nonetheless. Now, it is time to return to the drawing board and establish a clear para sports pathway, from grassroots participation — especially among the youth and women — up to the elite level,” Philippine Paralympic Committee president Michael Barredo said in a statement released by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
Our para athletes’ commitment to training, despite the challenges “exemplifies the spirit of the Filipino people,” the President said, calling them “a symbol of hope” for all Filipinos.
The para athletes faced tougher challenges because of their physical disabilities and funding, yet they trained as elite athletes for many years, at least eight hours a day, six days a week, to get to compete in the Paralympics. Each of them exuded inspiration.
At the closing ceremonies, Tony Estanguet, president of the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee, said: “Every time you succeeded, the intensity grew... You changed how people see sports and how they see disability.”
More than showing their best in sports, the Paralympics especially highlighted the message of inclusion and the need to work on breaking down the barriers that limit mobility and opportunities for the disabled.
This is well defined by International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Andrew Parsons who declared the official closing of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games: “Beyond 11 days of sport, we must break down the barriers that exist in society. We must enable and empower persons with disabilities to excel outside of the field of play, in education, in employment, in entertainment, in government, in civil society – everywhere!”
Mabuhay to our PARIS 2024 Paralympians Ernie Gawilan, Angel Otom, Agustina Bantiloc, Allain Ganapin, Jerrold Mangliwan, and Cendy Asusano! You brought pride and honor to the Filipino nation!