Thanks to her impressive fourth-place finish in the women’s javelin throw F54 event on Saturday, wheelchair thrower Cendy Asusano has been chosen as the Philippines’ flag-bearer for the closing ceremony of the 17th Paris Paralympic Games. The event will take place at the Stade de France on Sunday.
In her Paralympic Games debut, the 33-year-old Asusano threw a personal best of 15.06 meters, marking the best performance among the six Filipino athletes competing in this year’s Games.
“We made a last-minute decision to have Asusano, instead of Angel Mae Otom, carry the flag at the closing ceremony. Cendy will likely be assisted by taekwondo athlete Allain Ganapin, who will push her wheelchair,” said PH team chef de mission Ral Rosario.
Otom, originally selected as the flag-bearer, had a stellar campaign at the Games, reaching her second straight finals appearance last Friday in the women’s 50-meter butterfly S5 event at the La Defense Arena, where she finished fifth with a personal best time of 45.78 seconds. The pride of Olongapo City also reached the finals in the women’s 50-meter backstroke S5 event, placing sixth with a time of 44 seconds flat.
The Paris Paralympic Games closing ceremony is expected to be a vibrant affair, with French hosts transforming the 80,000-seat Stade de France into a massive dance floor. According to French daily Le Monde, the event will kick off at 8:30 p.m. (2:30 a.m. Manila time) and feature performances by 24 top French DJs, including electronic music legend Jean-Michel Jarre. Jarre, who holds the Guinness World Record for the largest concert audience after performing for 3.5 million people in Moscow in 1997, will open the musical segment.
The ceremony will cap off a historic and spirited participation by the Filipino Paralympians, supported by the Philippine Sports Commission.
PARIS – Thanks to her fourth-place finish in the women’s javelin throw F54 event on Saturday, wheelchair thrower Cendy Asusano will get the distinction of being the country’s flag-bearer at the closing ceremony of the 17th Paris Paralympic Games at the Stade de France on Sunday.
In her Paralympic Games debut, Asusano, 33, thew a personal best of 15.06 meters for the best finish among the six athletes who took part in the quadrennial meet for physically-challenged in the French capital for the first time.
“We made a last-minute decision that it would be Asusano and not Angel Mae Otom would be the standard-bearer at the closing ceremonies. Cendy will likely get help from taekwondo jin Allain Ganapin, who will be pushing her wheelchair,” PH squad chef de mission Ral Rosario said.
Otom was the first choice to carry the flag at the closing rites after capping her superb campaign in the stint supported by the Philippine Sports Commission with her second straight finals appearance last Friday at the La Defense Arena pool, finishing fifth in the women’s 50-meter butterfly S5 event in a personal best time of 45.78 seconds.
The pride of Olongapo City made her maiden outing at the Games in memorable style last Tuesday, reaching the finals and finishing sixth in the women’s 50-meter backstroke S5 event in sixth place in a time of 44 seconds flat.
Less formal than the opening rites, French hosts intend to turn the closing program at the 80,000 capacity arena into a huge dance floor starting at 8:30 p.m (2:30 a.m. Manila time), according to the French daily Le Monde.
“The Paris Paralympic Games closing ceremony is due to ‘finish with a huge party,’ featuring 24 top French DJs, including Cassius, Kavinsky, Agoria, and electronic music legend Jean-Michel Jarre,” the paper reported on its website.
“The musical segment will start with Jean-Michel Jarre, the man who currently holds the record for uniting the most people ever at a single concert. In 1997, he played in front of 3.5 million people in Moscow (a feat certified by the Guinness Book of Records),” it added.
