Philippine Paralympics team leaves for Paris Games

Riding on the momentum of the country in the recently-concluded 2024 Paris Olympics, the Philippines' Paralympics delegation is ready to shine when they compete in the 2024 Paralympics later this month.

The six-man national Paralympic team left for Paris on Sunday as they continue their preparation for the Games slated from August 28 to September 8.

The Philippines is sending a total of six Paralympians to Paris with veteran para swimmer Ernie Gawilan leading the pack as he plunged into his third Paralympics stint after competing in 2016 and 2020 editions in Rio and Tokyo.

Joining him is a fellow para swimmer in Angel Otom, who qualified through meeting the Minimum Qualifying Standard, making the top six of the 400m freestyle and top 8 in the 200m individual medley at the worlds.

Wheelchair racer Jerrold Mangliwan is also returning for another Paralympics campaign, following his impressive campaign in Tokyo Olympics where he set a personal mark even after falling short of a podium. 

Completing the cast are javelin thrower Cendy Asusano, taekwondo jin Allain Ganapin, and para archer Agustina Bantiloc.

Asusano and Bantiloc are making their Paralympics debut while Ganapin is finally making his first official bid after he saw his Tokyo Olympics campaign cut short before even getting started after he tested positive for COVID-19. 

—JKC, GMA Integrated News