Hangzhou—Thrower Jesebel Tordecilla will touch off Team Philippines’ campaign in athletics when she sees action in the women’s javelin F56 classification at the Huanglong Sports Center Stadium here.
Tordecilla hopes to jumpstart the team’s bid with a podium finish and improve her 14.21 meters that won her the silver in the ASEAN Para Games in Cambodia last year. Tordecilla and fellow gold ASEAN gold medalists aim to lift the Philippine flag high in this continental sports spectacle in China’s tea capital city and home of the best silk.
“Grabeng attitude niyan sa training si Jesebel. Very inspiring talaga si Jesebel and hopefully mag-pay off sacrifice niya,” said athletics’ head coach Joel Deriada.
Leading the charge is Rio Paralympics’ veteran and double-gold medalist Jerrold Mangliwan, who will compete in the T52 100 and 400-meter wheelchair race, along with other Asean PG champions King James Reyes (T46 -1,500 meters), Andrei Kuizon (F-53/54- discus, javelin and shot put), Rosalie Torrefiel (F11 discus throw), and Cendy Asusano (F54/55 discus, javelin and shot put).
Joining them in the hunt for medals are Arman Dino, who is entered in the T47 100 and 400-meters, Daniel Enderes Junior (T20 1,500 meters), and Ronn-Russell Mitra (T20- 400-meters and long jump).
All the nine athletics’ bets qualified to Hangzhou after meeting the minimum standards at the World Athletics-sanctioned events in Bangalore, India and Brisbane, Australia.
Deriada is assisted by coaches Bernard Buen and Joar Calvadores and competition partners Roberto Fresnido, Ray Cris Capispisan, and Noel Yambao.
Deriada is pinning the team’s hopes on Kuizon, who will compete in three throwing events, and Mangliwan, who had two fourth-place finishes the last time in Jakarta Para Asiad in 2018.
“Mas improved na performances nina Jerrold and Cendy kaya confident ako sa performances nila for medals,” he said.
“Pero lahat ng mga ‘yan, sabi ko sa kanila walang imposible. Gayahin natin ang Gilas, lahat sila pwedeng mag medal. Nasa conditioning lang naman ‘yan at hindi naman malalayo records natin sa kalaban.”
Asusano, Mitra, Kuizon, Mangliwan, and Reyes will compete for medals in their respective final events on Tuesday, while Mitra sees action in the qualifying heat of the men’s 400m T20 on the same day, hoping to join the final event set on Wednesday.
Aside from medals, the Filipino athletics bets are also vying for slots in the Paris Paralympics next year.
