VETERAN national para swimmer Ernie Gawilan will lead a nine-man national para swimming team that will see action in the 4th Asia Para Games scheduled Oct. 23 to 28 in Hangzhou, China, according to national para swimming coach Tony Ong.
Aside from Gawilan, who won three gold and two silver medals in the 2018 edition in Jakarta, Indonesia, also in the team are Gary Bejino, Ariel Joseph Alegarbes, Roland Sabido, Edwin Villanueva, Marco Tinamisan, Muhaimin Ulag, Arnel Aba, and Angel Mae Otom.
“Angel will be the only female swimmer in our squad in Hangzhou,” said Ong, referring to the back-to-back triple gold medalist in the 2022 Vietnam and 2023 Cambodia Asean Para Games.
Ong said that while Gawilan is now five years older at 32 since he last saw action in the Asian Para Games in Jakarta, “I believe Ernie will still be one of our strong gold contenders due to his hard work and discipline in training.”
He also cited Bejino, who won a pair of gold and silvers in Cambodia last month, who could also spring some surprises, particularly in the 400-meter freestyle.
As for limbless Otom, Ong said: “She should be in medal contention in the 50m backstroke, 50m freestyle and 50m butterfly, although she will face stiff opposition from Chinese star Lu Dong who is the favorite in all three events.”
Competing in the same classification as the Pinay campaigner, the Chinese para swimmer bagged three gold medals in the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021, winning the women’s 50-meter freestyle and butterfly events and the 200-meter individual medley.
Ong said the swimmers have resumed training since returning from the 12th Cambodia Asean Para Games, with Gawilan, Bejino and Otom also set to compete in the World Para Swimming Championships from July 31 to Aug. 6 in Manchester, England.
“The World Para Swimming Championships will be the main qualifying competition for the Paris Paralympics next year,” Ong said.
The swimmers are part of the “compact and competitive” national contingent that will see action in the Hangzhou Asian Para Games, according to PSC Commissioner Walter Torres, quoting national team chief of mission Ral Rosario.
“Ral told me in our recent meeting that he wants to send only the best athletes to the Hangzhou Asian Para Games,” said Torres, who oversees the national para athletes for the PSC.
