BANNER BY: KAREN ANN MANTUKAY
Karen Ann Mantukay
Six Filipinos to compete in 2024 Paralympic Games
Following Team Philippines’ success in the recently-concluded 2024 Paris Olympics, the Philippines’ Paralympics delegation is ready to make history when they compete in the 2024 Paralympic Games later this month.
The six-man national Paralympic team left for Paris on Sunday, August 11, as they continued their preparation for the Games slated from August 28 to September 8.
Since joining the Paralympics in 1988, the Philippines has won two bronze medals. The Philippines is sending a total of six Paralympians to Paris with this year’s delegation eager to make history.
One of the country’s most accomplished Paralympic athletes, veteran swimmer Ernie Gawilan, is leading the pack as he enters his third Paralympics stint after competing in 2016 and 2020 editions in Rio and Tokyo.
The 33-year-old Gawilan, who made history as the first Filipino to win gold at the Asian Para Games in 2018, is also a multi-time ASEAN Para Games gold medalist and is poised for what could be his strongest chance at earning a Paralympics medal this year.
Joining him is fellow para swimmer Angel Otom, who is poised to build on her remarkable success from the 2023 ASEAN Para Games, where she won four gold medals, as she prepares for her debut at the Paris 2024 Paralympics at just 20 years old.
Wheelchair racer Jerrold Mangliwan is also returning for another Paralympics campaign as a top medal contender following his impressive campaign in Tokyo Olympics where he set a personal mark even after falling short of a podium.
The accomplished 44-year-old is expected to leave it all on the track, as this could be his final Paralympic Games.
Making her Paralympics debut, Cendy Asusano will represent the Philippines as the country’s top contender in the javelin throw at Paris 2024.
Agustina Bantiloc is set to make her Paralympics debut at 55 years old, becoming the first Filipino paralympic archer in history to compete on the sport’s biggest stage.
Representing the flag in the taekwondo event, Allain Ganapin is returning for his second Paralympics appearance after qualifying on March 20.
Ganapin is finally making his first official bid after he saw his Tokyo Olympics campaign cut short before even getting started after he tested positive for COVID-19.
The Filipino para athletes already kicked off their training at Nîmes, France. The Philippine Team hopes to add gold to the small collection of medals in the Paralympic Games.
