Meet the Filipino athletes competing at the 2024 Paralympics
With the 2024 Paris Olympics finished, the Paralympics are set to begin.
Filipino athletes at the recently concluded games brought home a total of four medals: Gymnast Carlos Yulo bagged two golds, and boxers Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas raked in bronze medals each.
This year, six Pinoys have qualified in different sports for the 2024 Paralympics, which will take place from Aug. 29 to Sept. 8.
Get to know the Philippines' six Paralympians.
Ernie Gawilan (Para Swimming)
Ernie Gawilan qualified for the Summer Games after placing sixth in the 400m freestyle and eighth in the 200m individual medley at the worlds.
This year will mark the 30-year-old veteran para swimmer's third time competing at the Paralympics after qualifying in 2016 in Rio and in 2020 in Tokyo.
Ernie has brought home several gold medals from the Asian Para Games in 2018, 2022, and 2023 and ASEAN Para Games in 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2022.
Angel Otom (Para Swimming)
20-year-old Angel Otom secured her Paralympic berth after placing third in the 50m backstroke and sixth in the 50m butterfly at the worlds.
She previously won four gold medals in the 2023 ASEAN Games in Cambodia.
Allain Keanu Ganapin (Para Taekwondo)
26-year-old taekwondo ace Allain Keanu Ganapin is the only Filipino para-athlete for Taekwondo at the 2024 Paris Paralympics after winning the Asian Qualification Tournament in Tai’an, China.
He also qualified for the 2022 Tokyo Paralympics after winning the bronze medal in the men’s K44-75-kg division of the Asian Qualification Tournament held in Amman, Jordan, in 2021.
Agustina Bantiloc (Para Archery)
Agustina Bantiloc earned her slot after qualifying through the Bipartite Commission Invitation and achieved the minimum qualification standard.
The 55-year-old athlete was half the duo that claimed the bronze medal in Thailand's Compound Open Mixed Category of the Para Archer Olympic Qualifiers last year, claiming the country’s first podium finish in the said category.
Jerrold Pete Mangliwan (Wheelchair Racing)
Jerrold Mangliwan qualified for the 2024 Paris Paralympics in June marking his third straight appearance at the games.
He holds six gold medals from the three editions of the ASEAN Para Games. He also represented the country and brought home gold and silver medals in the 2022 Asian Para Games.
Cendy Asusano (Para Javelin Throw)
Cendy Asusano secured her Paralympic spot after her 4th place finish in the Women’s Javelin Throw F54 of the World Para Athletics Championships in Kobe, Japan last May.
She won gold medals in the 12th ASEAN Para Games in Cambodia in the women’s Shot Put and Javelin Throw categories, and a bronze medal in the Discus Throw category in the same event.
