PHL in improved finish at ASEAN Para Games
By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Reporter
TEAM Philippines fell short of its 27-gold medal target in the just-concluded 9th ASEAN Para Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, but still its fifth-place finish in the tournament was a significant leap from the seventh spot it was at in the previous edition.
As the regional sporting meet for the differently abled athletes came to a close on Saturday, the 111-man Philippine team produced 69 total medals — 20 gold, 20 silver and 29 bronze — to finish fifth in the 11-country field, behind overall winner Indonesia (126-75-50), host Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.
In the 2015 Para Games held in Singapore, the Philippines was seventh with a haul of 16 gold, 17 silver and 26 bronze medals.
Athletics turned out to be the best-performing sport in Malaysia, piling up nine gold medals, three each coming from teen sprint sensation Cielo Honasan and wheelchair-bound thrower Cendy Asusano.
The sport also produced five silver and six bronze medals for the Philippines.
Chess, led by triple gold-winner and FIDE master Sander Severino, was second best with four golds on top of three silver and six bronzes.
Swimming, towed by the two top hardware won by Ernie Gawilan, had three gold medals.
Cyclist Arthus Bucay, tenpin bowler Christopher Yue, Paralympians Adeline Dumapong-Ancheta (powerlifting) and Josephine Medina (table tennis), meanwhile, gave the country a gold each from their respective events.
Despite falling short of its goal of 27 gold medals, team officials still lauded the athletes’ efforts and considered the country’s performance in the ninth edition of the ASEAN Para Games a “proud accomplishment” even as they drummed up support for the Philippines’ hosting of the event in 2019.
“We went home with 20 golds, four more than what we took home in Singapore. And that’s all that matters,” said Philippine chef de mission Ral Rosario after their campaign.
“We’re hosting the 10th ASEAN Para Games two years from now and we have to start preparation as soon as we get back,” said Michael Barredo, the newly elected president of the Philippine Paralympic Committee, para athletes’ version of the Philippine Olympic Committee, for his part, said.
