TOKYO. – Jose V. Laurel, the Philippine ambassador to Japan, on Wednesday encouraged the country’s Paralympians “to continue our country’s winning streak in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.”
Laurel was referring to the country’s most successful Olympic stint in the Japanese capital nearly a month ago, highlighted by weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz’s historic first gold medal by ruling the women’s 55-kilogram division at the Tokyo International Forum last July 26.
The national squad also went home with a silver medal each from boxers Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam and a bronze courtesy of Eumir Felix Marcial in a glorious performance that lifted the country proudly to 50th place in the overall medal standings of the quadrennial sports festival.
Wheelchair racer Jerrold Mangliwan, discus thrower Jeannette Aceveda, swimmers Ernie Gawilan and Gary Bejino, who are all now here, and taekwondo jin Allain Ganapin, who is scheduled to leave for the Japanese capital on Sunday, are the country’s standard-bearers at the Games.
The national Paralympic contingent is fully supported by the Philippine Sports Commission.
“On behalf of the men and women of the Philippine Embassy and the consulates general in Nagoya and Osaka, I wish our Philippine Paralympic athletes’ success,” Laurel said during his visit at the Tokyo Prince Hotel to the national delegation led by Philippine Paralympic Committee president Mike Barredo and Commissioner Arnold Agustin of the PSC.
