Team Philippines’ chef de mission Gerardo “Ral” Rosario is optimistic about the chances of the six Filipino Paralympians at the 2024 Paris Paralympics. As a two-time Olympian in swimming, Rosario is confident in the athletes’ readiness to compete on the global stage, drawing inspiration from Carlos Yulo’s recent double Olympic gold medal victory. Rosario believes Yulo’s success will serve as a motivational boost for the national para-athletes as they prepare to bring pride and honor to the country.
The six Filipino Paralympians recently completed a 10-day pre-Paralympic training camp in Nimes, France, and have now arrived in Paris for a tapering period before the opening of the 2024 Paris Paralympics on August 29.
The Philippine team is composed of three-time Paralympians Jerrold Pete Mangliwan (athletics) and swimmer Ernie Gawilan, along with para taekwondo jin Allain Ganapin, and first-timers swimmer Angel Otom, archer Agustina Bantiloc, and athlete Cendy Asusano.
They are currently settled in the Athletes’ Village, accompanied by their national para coaches, a physical therapist, and a masseuse from the Philippine Sports Commission’s Medical and Scientific Athletes Services (PSC-MSAS).
The 17th Paralympiad will officially commence with an opening ceremony at the Place de la Concorde, the largest square in Paris, on August 28 at 8 PM (2 AM, August 29, Philippine time). The venue is expected to host up to 65,000 spectators.
Pilipinas Para Athletics head coach Joel Deriada expressed satisfaction with the enthusiasm shown by Mangliwan and Asusano during their final week of training. He noted that both athletes met expectations during the pre-Paralympic camp, which provided an exclusive and focused environment for preparation.
Mangliwan will begin the Philippine para-athletics campaign in the men’s 400-meter T52 wheelchair racing heats on August 30 at 5:13 PM Philippine time, followed by the men’s 100-meter T52 wheelchair race on September 5 at 9:43 PM Paris time (3:43 AM, September 6 Philippine time). Asusano will compete on September 7 at 4:08 PM (Philippine time) in the women’s F54 javelin throw event.
Allain Keanu Ganapin, the lone taekwondo jin in the Filipino delegation, earned his spot at the Paris Paralympics by securing the only slot at the Asian Qualification Tournament in Tai’an City, China. This marks his second Paralympic appearance, having also qualified for the Tokyo Paralympic Games in 2021.
Angel Otom, the first Filipino quadruple-gold medalist at the 12th ASEAN Para Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, will make her Paralympic debut in Paris, competing in the women’s 50-meter backstroke. Her coach had anticipated her journey to the Paralympics as early as 2021, given her consistent dedication and the support of her family and friends.
Ernie Gawilan, a seasoned Paralympian, placed sixth in the 400m freestyle and eighth in the 200m individual medley at the World Championships. This marks his third Paralympic appearance, following his competitions in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.
Agustina Bantiloc, making her debut in the 2024 Paris Paralympics, hopes to inspire fellow para-archers and the entire para-sports community.
As the 2024 Paris Paralympics approach, Filipino para-athletes are determined to continue the momentum built by their fellow Olympians. The recent success of Filipino athletes in the Paris Olympics, where they secured two gold and two bronze medals, has set a high standard that the para-athletes are eager to uphold.
