AHEAD of the Delegation Registration Meeting (DRM) for the 12th Asean Para Games on May 28, PSC Commissioner Walter Torres, the Team Philippines chief of mission, expressed high hopes on the medal chances of national para-athletes set to compete in the Cambodia Games in June.
A 259 Philippine Para team delegation — 174 of them para-athletes — will participate in the 12th APG from June 3 to 9 in Phnom Penh.
Torres is optimistic that the national team can surpass the country’s showing in the 11th Asean Para Games 2022 in Surakarta, Indonesia, where local bets won 28 gold, 30 silver, and 46 bronze medals for fifth place in the 11-nation tournament. Torres was also the CDM that time.
“We would like to do better than last time. Our team will definitely give their best because everybody wants to win,” said Torres.
The Philippine contingent will compete in 13 sports: athletics (23), badminton (9), boccia, chess (22), cerebral palsy football (10), goalball (12), judo (4), powerlifting (11), sitting volleyball (14) swimming (12), table tennis (21), wheelchair basketball (23), and esports (5) as demonstration sport.
“Pray for the success of our athletes in their pursuit of excellence. Excellence doesn’t just mean the number of medals won, it can also mean the development of one’s personality, character and leadership so that he or she becomes a positive influence on others,” Torres said.
The PSC, in coordination with the Philippine Paralympic Committee, is scheduled to host the send-off party for the para-athletes on May 21 at the Multi-Purpose Arena in Pasig City.
