Pinoy Pride: 6 Filipinos to Compete at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics

Six Filipino paralympians will be representing the Philippines at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics scheduled from Aug 24 to Sept 5.

The Philippine team is composed of Ernie Gawilan and Gary Bejino (para swimming), Allain Ganapin (para taekwondo), Jeanette Aceveda and Jerrold Mangliwan (para athletics), and Achelle Guion (para powerlifting).

Ernie Gawilan (Para swimming)

IMAGE from Philippine Sports Commission

Ernie Gawilan formalized his entry after taking the bronze medal in the Internationale Deutsche Meisterschaften (IDM) Berlin Para Swimming World Series in Berlin, Germany. Gawilan is also one of the country’s most decorated para-athletes. He is a gold medalist at the 2018 Asian Para Games in Indonesia and 2019 World Para Swimming silver medalist in London.

Gary Bejino (Para swimming)

IMAGE from Pinterest

Para swimmer Gary Bejino makes his way to Tokyo 2020 Paralympics to represent the country after earning a bipartite slot in para-swimming. Bejino has won a gold medal at the 2017 Kuala Lumpur ASEAN gold medalist, and bagged a silver and two bronze medals at the 2018 Asian Para Games.

Allain Ganapin (Para taekwondo)

IMAGE from Philippine Sports Commission

Allain Ganapin is the first Filipino Taekwondo para-athlete in the Paralympics since the country joined the competition. She got her ticket to Japan after securing a bronze in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games’ Asian Qualification Tournament in Amman, Jordan.

Jerrold Mangliwan (Para athletics)

IMAGE from Jerrold Mangliwan’s Facebook account

Jerrold Mangliwan made the cut for the Tokyo Paralympics after surpassing the Paralympic standard of one minute and 3.27 seconds in the 400-meter T52 wheelchair race of the 2021 World Para Athletics Grand Prix. Mangliwan previously won gold medals and a silver in the 2015 ASEAN Para Games.

Jeanette Aceveda (Para athletics)

SCREENSHOT from Radyo Pilipinas

Asian Para Games silver medalist discus thrower Jeanette Aceveda qualified to this edition of the Paralympics through the bipartite commission.

Achelle Guion (Para powerlifting)

IMAGE from Philippines News Agency

Achelle Guion is the last Filipino to qualify for this year’s Paralympics after the World Para Powerlifting approved her bipartite invitation. Guion will be competing in the women’s 41kg division in the upcoming Tokyo Paralympics, scheduled from Aug 24 to Sept 5. She represented the country at the 2012 London Paralympics, where she competed in the women’s 44 kg event. She also took home silver medals at the 2014 and 2018 Asian Para Games and 2017 World Para Powerlifting Championships.

This year’s Paralympics will showcase 540 events in 22 sports.

As of presstime, Philippines has won two bronze medals since joining Seoul 1988 Paralympics: para powerlifter Adeline Dumapong at the Sydney 2000 and para table tennis player Josephine Medina at the Rio 2016.