PROMISE fulfilled. This after the Philippine Team churned out a highly improved performance in the just-concluded 2018 Asian Para Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, with 29 total medals, including 10 golds.
After a week-long competition, Philippine para athletes fared better than the two previous editions of the Games, adding eight silver and 11 bronze medals to their total to finish at 11th place, a significant improvement from the 24th spot they were in the 2014 Asian Para Games in Incheon, South Korea, where the country had five silver and five bronze medals.
Prior to leaving for Indonesia, chef de mission Francis Carlos Diaz said that hopes were high that Filipino para athletes would do well in the Jakarta Games owing to the “richer delegation” that the country was sending.
“Coming from the Incheon Asian Para Games in 2014 we have a richer delegation this time around in terms of experience and skill, after all it’s four years of athletic competition. Our training has been all year long like the ordinary athletes,” Mr. Diaz shared to members of media.
“We improved a lot in terms of support. I wouldn’t say the numbers but by far the grant that the Philippine Sports Commission gave to this bunch of athletes is really astronomical in terms of figures. The fund was for their training and equipment, training supply and uniforms. All of these were given by the government. In terms of private support, we have had some support from small companies which have somehow contributed for our athletes’ campaign. They are not yet major sponsors but they have been a big help,” he added.
Providing the most medals to the Philippines’ campaign in Indonesia was the chess team, led by FIDE master Sander Severino, who won four gold medals individually or as part of a team.
Mr. Severino, diagnosed with muscle dystrophy during childhood, topped the individual standard P1 (physically handicapped) competition and joined forces with Henry Lopez and Jasper Rom to rule the team event.
He also won the top hardware in the men’s individual rapid P1 event and men’s teams rapid P1 along with Messrs. Lopez and Rom.
The other gold chess medal came from men’s team standard VI B2/B3 care of Menandro Redor, Israel Peligro and Arman Subaste.
The team also had two silver and six bronze medals.
Also a big winner was the swimming team with eight medals, three of which were gold.
Ernie Gawilan, who was born with no legs and an underdeveloped left limb, won three gold and two silver medals.
The Davao native won gold in the men’s 200m individual medley SM7, men’s 100m backstroke S7 and men’s 400m freestyle S7 (6-7), and silver in men’s 50m freestyle S7 and men’s 100m backstroke freestyle S7.
Teammate Gary Bejino, meanwhile, had one silver and two bronze medals.
Cycling had three medals with Arthus Bucay winning gold in the men’s C5 individual pursuit 4000m event and bronze in men’s time trial (C5). Godfrey Taberna accounted for the other cycling bronze in the men’s road race (C4).
Tenpin bowling and powerlifting had two medals each.
Kim Ian Chin won gold in the mixed singles TPB10-Mixed and joined forces with Samuel Matias for silver in the mixed doubles TPB10 + TPB10 in ten pin bowling.
Women’s powerlifter Achelle Guion bagged silver in the women’s up to 45kg event while Olympian Adeline Dumapong-Ancheta added a bronze in the women’s over 86kg.
Polio-stricken Rio Paralympics bronze medallist Josephine Medina won silver in the men’s single TT 8 event.
When the battle smoke cleared in the 2018 Asian Para Games, which took place from Oct. 6 to 13, China topped the medal standings with 172 gold, 88 silver and 59 bronze medals, followed by South Korea (53-45-47), Iran (51-42-43), Japan (45-70-83), and Indonesia (37-47-51).
Rounding out the top 10 were Uzbekistan (35-24-18), Thailand (23-33-50), Malaysia (17-26-25), India (15-24-33), and Hong Kong (11-16-21).
The Philippine Team, composed of 57 athletes who competed in 10 sporting events, was due to the country later yesterday.
As stipulated by law, athletes who won medals are up for cash incentives from the government — P1 million for gold, P500,000 silver and P200,000 for bronze. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo
