Let us get to know the Philippines Paralympics delegate to the 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris, France. The event will be from 28 August to 8 September 2024. The country qualified six athletes in four sports.

Philippines Paralympics Athlete

Personal Life
Name: Ernie Gawilan
Birth date: May 5, 1991
From: Davao City
Sport: para-swimming
Event: men’s 400m freestyle S7, men’s 200m individual medley SM7
Coaches: Tony Ong and Ral Rosario

Awards:
2022 Asian Para Games – 400m freestyle S6 – gold
2018 Asian Para Games – 200 meter individual medley SM7 – gold
2018 Asian Para Games – 50 meter freestyle S7 – silver
2015 ASEAN Para Games – 400-meter freestyle S8 – gold
2015 ASEAN Para Games – 200 individual medley – gold
2015 ASEAN Para Games – 100m freestyle – silver
2014 Asian Para Games – 3 bronze medals

Fun facts:
* Named Male Athlete of the Year by the Davao City Sports Council in 2019.
* He was working as a housekeeper in Samal, Philippines when coach Jude Corpuz took notice of his habit of visiting the ocean during his free time, saw potential, and decided to train him
* His journey to the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro was adapted into a five-minute film called ‘Gawilan’.
* Became the first athlete representing the Philippines from any sport to win a gold medal at the Asian Para Games – he won the SM7 200m individual medley at the 2018 Games in Indonesia.
* Philippines’ flag bearer in the 2024 Paralympics opening ceremony alongside Bantiloc

Personal Life
Name: Jerrold Pete Macabio Mangliwan
Birth date: October 17, 1979
From: Tabuk, Kalinga-Apayao
Education: Media and Communications
Sport: para athletics
Event: men’s 400m T52, men’s 100m T52
Coaches: Bernard Buen [national], PHI; Joel Deriada [national]

Awards:
2023 ASEAN Para Games – 200m T52 race – gold
2023 ASEAN Para Games – 400m T52 race – gold
2022 Asian Para Games – 400m T52 race – gold
2022 Asian Para Games – 100m T52 race – silver
2015 ASEAN Para Games – 100m T52 race – gold
2015 ASEAN Para Games – 200m T52 race – gold
2015 ASEAN Para Games – 400m T52 race – silver

Fun Facts:
* Began wheelchair racing in 2009 in Manila, Philippines.
* His friends encouraged him to try the sport.
* Rode wheelchairs from Montalban to Cubao [Philippines] which took five hours, non-stop.

Personal Life
Name: Allain Keanu Ganapin
Birth date: July 7, 1998
From: Marikina
Education: Physical Education – Marikina City University
Sport: para taekwondo
Event: men’s K44 -80kg
Coaches: Gershon Bautista [national]; Janneth Tenorio [national]

Awards:
2021 Asian Qualification Tournament – men’s K44 -75 kg – Bronze
2017 Oceania Para Taekwondo – Bronze

Fun Facts:
* Took up taekwondo as a response to bullying upon the suggestion of his high school best friend
* First Filipino to qualify for taekwondo

Personal Life
Name: Cendy Asusano
Birth date: April 7, 1990
From:
Education:
Sport: Athletics
Event: women’s javelin throw F54
Coach: Joel Deriada [national]

Awards:
2023 ASEAN Para Games – Discus throw F54 – Bronze
2023 ASEAN Para Games – Javelin Throw F54 – Gold
2023 ASEAN Para Games – Shot put F54 – Gold
2022 ASEAN Para Games – Javelin Throw F54 – Gold
2022 ASEAN Para Games – Shot put F54 – Gold
2022 ASEAN Para Games – Discus throw F54 – Bronze
2017 ASEAN Para Games – Discus throw F54 – Gold
2017 ASEAN Para Games – Javelin Throw F54/55 – Gold
2017 ASEAN Para Games – Shot put F54 – Gold

Fun Facts:
* She was encouraged to try the sport by a Filipino wheelchair basketball player.

Personal Life
Name: Angel Otom
Birth date: June 30, 2003
From: Olongapo
Education: Sports Science – University of the Philippines
Sport: Para swimming
Event: women’s 50m butterfly S5, women’s 50m backstroke S5
Coach: Tony Ong [national]

Awards:
2023 ASEAN Para Games – 50m freestyle, – Gold
2023 ASEAN Para Games – 50m backstroke, – Gold
2023 ASEAN Para Games – 50m butterfly, – Gold
2023 ASEAN Para Games – 200m Individual medley – Gold
2022 ASEAN Para Games – 50m backstroke, – Gold
2022 ASEAN Para Games – 50m butterfly, – Gold
2022 ASEAN Para Games – 50m freestyle, – Gold
2021 Asian Youth Para Games – 100m butterfly, S1-10 Multi-class – Bronze

Fun Facts:
* Live near the beach so swimming is natural for her.
* Her hero is Chinese paraswimmer Lu Dong.

Personal Life
Name: Agustina Maximo Bantiloc
Birth date: August 8, 1968
From: Baguio
Education:
Sport: Para archery
Event: women’s individual compound
Coach: John Honguitan [national]; Jonathan Josol [national]

Fun Facts:
* Philippines’ flag bearer in the 2024 Paralympics opening ceremony alongside Gawilan
* First para archer from the Philippines to qualify for the Paralympics
* Represented the Philippines in Para powerlifting.
* Competed in para-athletics at the national level in the Philippines.

As the 2024 Summer Paralympics are about to start, let us all cheer for the Philippine Paralympics athletes representing our country. Good luck to you all!

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Note: Photos here are from the National Council on Disability Affairs (Government)