6 Filipinos Competing at The Tokyo Paralympics 2021

With courage, strength, and determination, these Filipino athletes show what it takes to fight at the Tokyo Paralympics 2021.

While everyone's eyes were glued to the historic wins of the Philippines in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the country has sent a batch of athletes set to compete at the Paralympic Games.

The Paralympic Games or simply Paralympics is one of the highly-anticipated sports events for people with a range of disabilities; it welcomes athletes from five main disability categories: cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, visually impaired, spinal injuries, and amputee.

In an interview, Team Philippines Chef de Mission Francis Carlos B. Diaz said that there will be six Filipino athletes at this year's event. “All of them are committed to maximising the opportunity given to them. This is an important event for the athletes. Each one of them knows the significance of their participation in the Paralympics much like our able-bodied Olympians," he said.

Through the Republic Act 10699, or the incentives act, the government will provide a Paralympic gold medalist with PHP 5 million cash prize. The silver medalist shall also receive PHP 2.5 million, while the bronze medalist will be given PHP1 million.

Read on as Tatler unveils the names of six Filipino Paralympians who are ready to go above and beyond.

1. Para athletics: Jerrold Mangliwan

Above Jerrold Mangliwan during wheelchair racing practice (Photo: Emmanuel Maliksi)

Jerrold Mangliwan during wheelchair racing practice (Photo: Emmanuel Maliksi)

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Events: Men's 400m T52, Men’s 1500m T52, Men’s 100m T52

Jerrold Mangliwan is a 41-year-old Filipino wheelchair racer who has paraplegia acquired from polio. During the 2015 ASEAN Para Games, the athlete bagged gold medals at the 100m and 200m race and silver at the 400m T52 race.

Mangliwan shared that he began wheelchair racing in 2009. "I wanted to test myself, so I tried track. I had a friend who did wheelchair racing. We rode our wheelchairs from Montalban to Cubao [Philippines]. It took us about five hours, non-stop. I continued training, and that's when I started to become a national athlete," he disclosed.

At the Tokyo Paralympics 2021, Mangliwan was disqualified in the 400m finals because of "lane infringement," however, he was able to redeem himself in the 1500m with a sixth-place finish. His new personal best time is 3:58.24.

2. Para athletics: Jeanette Aceveda

Above Jeanette Aceveda – Para athletics (Photo: Philippine Paralympics Committee)

Jeanette Aceveda – Para athletics (Photo: Philippine Paralympics Committee)

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Event: Women’s discus throw F11

Jeanette Aceveda is a Filipino powerlifter athlete who did not let her visual impairment stop her from doing big things. She is the first visually impaired Filipino athlete to make the Paralympics. At the age of 50, Aceveda is the oldest in this year's team. She is qualified for the Paralympics via (minimum qualifying standard) MQS and (minimum entry slot) MES. Her personal best is 18.27 metres.

On August 29, 2021, the Philippine Paralympic Committee (PPC) announced that Aceveda is withdrawing from her event after contracting the deadly COVID-19. "Jeanette is greatly disappointed that she will have to withdraw from her event scheduled for August 31, 2021. Although she would not be able to fulfil her dream to compete in the Paralympics and represent the Philippines, Jeanette still hopes there will be more chances for her to make this dream come true in the future," the PPC said.

3. Para swimming: Ernie Gawilan

Above Filipino swimmer Ernie Gawilan (Photo: The Daily Guardian)

Filipino swimmer Ernie Gawilan (Photo: The Daily Guardian)

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Events: Men's 200m Individual Medley SM7, Men’s 400m freestyle S7, Men’s 100m backstrokes S7

Ernie Gawilan, a swimmer from Davao city is one of the Philippines' top bets this year. His feats include winning three golds and two silvers in the Asiad after ruling the ASEAN Para swimming event as a seven-time gold medalist. In 2000, Gawilan began swimming in Samal, Philippines.

He was working as a housekeeper when he had his first encounter with water. Swimming coach Jude Corpuz immediately took notice of his habit of visiting the ocean during his free time, saw potential, and decided to train him.

Gawilan's journey to the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janerio was brought to screens by US-based Filipino filmmaker Kelsy Lua. The short film became a runner-up in the Best Film category of the 2019 Istorya Ng Pag-Asa [Stories of Hope] festival.

4. Para swimming: Gary Bejino

Above Creative location portraits with Team Philippines’ national swimmer Gary Bejino, for the 8th ASEAN Para Games 2015. (Photo: Tucky's Photography/Pinterest)

Creative location portraits with Team Philippines’ national swimmer Gary Bejino, for the 8th ASEAN Para Games 2015. (Photo: Tucky's Photography/Pinterest)

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Events: Men’s 200m individual medley SM6, Men’s 400m freestyle S6, Men’s 50m butterfly S6, Men’s 100m backstroke S6

The 25-year-old Gary Bejino is also a Filipino swimmer with a limb disability. His arm and his leg had to be amputated at age seven following an electric shock.

At a young age, he was able to bag two bronze medals in the 2018 Asian Para Games. He took up swimming for the first time in 2013 at the Sports Complex [ULTRA] in Pasig, Philippines. "I just wanted to do something, since I had stopped going to school and I saw swimming was useful," he said.

5. Powerlifting: Achelle Guion

Above Achelle Guion – Powerlifting (Photo: Philippine Sports Commission)

Achelle Guion – Powerlifting (Photo: Philippine Sports Commission)

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Event: Women’s -45kg

Achelle Guion is a 49-year-old veteran powerlifter who completed the six-athlete delegation bound for Tokyo and sealed her second Paralympic Games berth. In 2001, she joined several Para sports including racing, wheelchair tennis, and billiards. She then settled on Para powerlifting and began competing in the sport locally before receiving an invitation to join the national team in 2003.

The athlete revealed the reason for choosing Para powerlifting: she was drawn to indoor sports. "Considering the distance in wheelchair racing, I would get tired. In billiards, I would have to travel far for competitions. In wheelchair tennis, it could be so hot under the sun. So I decided to do powerlifting because there is a roof, and rain or shine, you can still train," she explained.

Guion will not be able to compete in this year's Paralympics due to COVID-19. "Jinky is deeply frustrated that she will not be able to compete in her powerlifting event for her country after training for so long and especially getting much inspiration from Hidilyn Diaz, a powerlifter like herself and the first Filipino to win an Olympic gold medal," PPC President Michael Barredo said in a statement.

6. Para taekwondo: Allain Ganapin

Above Allain Ganapin – Para taekwondo (Photo: Philippine Paralympic Committee)

Allain Ganapin – Para taekwondo (Photo: Philippine Paralympic Committee)

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Event: Men’s K44 -75kg

The 23-year-old Allain Ganapin is the youngest Filipino Para athlete in this year's games. The Pinoy jin also made history as the first Filipino taekwondo para-athlete to secure a spot in the international tourney.

In his five years with the Philippine team, the athlete bagged a bronze medal during the 2017 Ocenia Para Taekwondo Open in Auckland, New Zealane, and another in the 2021 Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Amman, Jordan. In an interview, Ganapin said that the sport allowed him to "gain his bullies' respect".

"I joined the taekwondo team to earn their respect. I gained it eventually when I started competing," he said.

Topics

Paralympics Tokyo 2021

Jove Moya

Senior Feature Writer, Tatler Philippines

Jove holds a degree in Journalism and is currently pursuing graduate studies in Philosophy at the University of the Philippines–Diliman. She has flair for in-depth, interview-driven stories that explore politics and culture, shaped by her background in national broadsheets.

When she’s not on assignment, Jove spends her days painting, sipping lemonade, and walking her dog, Jupiter. She can often be seen in Escolta with a film camera in hand, browsing novelty shops in search of rare memorabilia. For leads, reach her at Jove@tatlerphilippines.com.