By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The Philippine delegation just got off to an impressive start in the ASEAN Para Games held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia last June 4, 2023.
Team PHL went up to the podium eight times and collected a total of eight gold medals in just a day, courtesy of a terrific showing from the swimming, chess, athletics, and powerlifting athletes.
The para swimming athletes delivered a total of three gold medals which was later on replicated by the PHL wood pushers while two golds apiece were rewarded by team athletics and powerlifting.
PHL swimming duo Gary Bejino and Ernie Gawilan continued their dominance on the ASEAN stage and kicked off their winning day with back-to-back gold medals.
Bejino reigned supreme in the men’s 400-meter freestyle S6 event while Gawilan ruled the men’s 400-m freestyle S7.
Completing the swimming hat-trick for the PHL para team is Angel Otom who defied the odds to clinch the gold medal in the women’s 50-m backstroke S5 event.
Meanwhile, the quarter of Darry Bernardo, Cheyzer Mendoza, Menandro Redor, and Israel Peligro grabbed the spotlight in the chess event.
National Master Bernardo had a historic performance after becoming the first Filipino to be a double gold medalist on the ASEAN Para Games stage.
In the athletics, Cendy Asusano stood tall after nabbing a gold medal in the women’s shot put F54 event.
Asusano nipped Nguyen Thi Ngoc Thuy of Vietnam after scoring 5.77-m during her championship throw while Marites Bruce settled for the bronze medal.
Last but not the least, Marydol Pamati-an, one of the best powerlifters in the country, brought home the bacon in the women’s 41-kg division.
