DUBAI, United Arab Emirates—Team Philippines made an early splash at the 2025 Asian Youth Para Games after para swimmers Raemond Adefuin and Mary Hannah Diesto captured one gold and one silver medal, respectively, at the Hamdan Sports Complex here.
The 15-year-old Adefuin clocked 35.84 seconds to rule the boys 12-16 50-meter butterfly multi-class S2-7, beating Indonesia’s Komang Aditya Pradnyana (45.40sec) and Japan’s Ryuga Yamada (46.39sec).
“It’s a big victory for me because I beat my personal best of 36 seconds,” said Adefuin, a Grade 10 student at Kabulusan Integrated National High School in Laguna, in Filipino.
“I’m grateful for my coaches and teammates who supported me in this endeavor,” he added.
Diesto, for her part, clinched the silver in the girls 12-15 200m freestyle multi-class S1-S5 with a time of 2:51.95 behind eventual gold medalist Siti Aisyah of Indonesia (2:26.50). Malaysia’s Asyiil Raziin Binti Razman bagged the bronze in 2:52.03.
In wheelchair basketball, the Filipinos showed grit with three straight victories to advance to the quarterfinals at the Al Ahli Club.
The Nationals opened up with a 14-6 drubbing of Saudi Arabia, then escaped with host UAE, 10-9.
They returned with more determination and squeaked past Thailand in extra period, 13-12, courtesy of Edgardo Ochaves’ last basket.
Ochaves anchored the crew by finishing with 11 points.
“We stuck to our game plan, especially with our defense,” said head coach Vernon Perea, whose team is currently battling Bangladesh at press time.
At the Dubai Club for People of Determination, Ramces Tuala opened his campaign in the men’s U23 men’s singles Class 8 with victories over Iran’s Arsham Ramazani, 9-11, 11-6, 11-4, 2-11, 11-7, and Singapore’s Jayden Low, 11-2, 11-3, 11-4.
“At first I was nervous, but eventually I was able to get my composure even in the crucial moments,” said the 22-year-old Tuala on his maiden appearance in the Games.
Lhey Manginsay, likewise, made her campaign felt in the women’s U23 singles Class 9 with an 11-5, 11-7, 11-8 triumph over Iran’s Amirali Ahmadi
Zidrez Dela Cruz, however, was not so fortunate as he bowed to India’s Vishwa Tambe, 3-11, 4-11, 5-11, and Kazakhstan’s Akseleu Zhumash, 7-11, 8-11, 5-11, in the men’s U23 singles’ Class 10.
Vroxzield Cabanero also fell short in his campaign over Chinese Taipei’s Huang Ren Ting, 9-11, 11-4, 11-9, 11-4.
In goalball, the Filipinos fell to Korea in their first match in Pool D, 10-4.
Meanwhile, the 10-member para athletics team are ready for the challenge with seven para athletes battling in their respective events at press time.
Seeking podium finishes are RJ Brucal in the men’s U17 long jump T20, the team of Mark Lorence Suarez, Jolly Poquiz and John Reyl Diano in men’s U20 long jump T20, Kyle Macey Norte in men’s U17 200 meters T11, Charmel Bada in women’s U17 long jump T20, and Cedric Sario in men’s U20 high jump T42.
