Cover Bonnie Bunyau Gustin, powerlifter
Bonnie Bunyau Gustin, powerlifter
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With talent, resilience and determination, Paralympic athletes have achieved great feats in sports
In 1960, the first Paralympic Games was held in Rome, featuring 400 athletes from 23 countries, and since then, it has been held every four years in conjunction with the Olympic Games. Established to provide a platform for athletes with disabilities to compete at the highest levels, the Paralympics promotes inclusivity and challenge people’s perceptions about disability. Indeed, Paralympic athletes triumph over adversity to achieve extraordinary sports feats, demonstrating that limitations can be overcome with willpower and talent. In the region, Paralympians have triumphed in sports such as swimming, fencing, table tennis and powerlifting. These medallists, some of whom are part of Asia’s Most Influential list, remind us of the unyielding power of the human spirit.
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Yip Pin Xiu, swimmer (Singapore)
Above Yip Pin Xiu, swimmer
Yip Pin Xiu, swimmer
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Swimmer Yip Pin Xiu is a five-time Paralympic gold medallist, having won gold in the 50m backstroke of the 2008 Beijing Paralympics (Singapore’s first gold medal at the Paralympics), the 100m and 50m backstroke events of the 2016 Rio Paralympics and again for both events at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. Adding to her medal haul, Yip has claimed five gold medals at the World Championships, most recently in Manchester in 2023. “Look at where we are... Always trust your process and don’t let anybody tell you [that] you cannot achieve the things you set your mind to do,” said Yip on Instagram. In February 2024, a wax figure of the swimming star was unveiled at Madame Tussauds Singapore.
Read Yip Pin Xiu’s full profile on Asia’s Most Influential
Bonnie Bunyau Gustin, powerlifter (Malaysia)
Above Bonnie Bunyau Gustin, powerlifter
Bonnie Bunyau Gustin, powerlifter
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Since winning Malaysia’s first Paralympic gold in powerlifting at the Tokyo 2020 Games (with a lift of 228kg, a new Paralympic record), Bonnie Bunyau Gustin has claimed more victories, cementing his status as one of the world’s top athletes. In 2021, he won the gold medal at the World Para Powerlifting Championships and then set a new world record with a lift of 230kg at the World Para Powerlifting World Cup. A year later, he won gold medals at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games and the Asian Para Games. Continuing his winning streak, Gustin broke his world record, lifting 231kg, at the 2023 World Para Powerlifting Championships and, just before the Paris 2024 Paralympics, he bagged gold at the 2024 Fazza Para Powerlifting World Cup.
Read Bonnie Bunyau Gustin’s full profile on Asia’s Most Influential
Yu Chui Yee, fencer (Hong Kong)
Wheelchair fencing athlete Yu Chui Yee is set to compete in her sixth consecutive Paralympics Games in this month’s Paris event. She made her Paralympics debut in the 2004 Athens Games, where she won an astonishing four gold medals. From then, the athlete, who was diagnosed with bone cancer at 11, resulting in the amputation of her left leg, continued to win more medals for Hong Kong. With her medal haul now at 11 (seven golds, three silvers, one bronze), she has become the most successful female wheelchair fencer in the Games.
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Ernie Gawilan, swimmer (Philippines)
Despite having underdeveloped extremities, Ernie Gawilan has become one of the Philippines’ top Paralympic athletes. Apart from participating in the 2016 and 2020 Paralympics, the swimmer has secured medals at the Asian Para Games, including the country’s first gold in the 2018 regional games. He won three bronze medals at the 2014 Asian Para Games, three golds and two silvers in the 2018 edition and, more recently, a gold medal in the 400m freestyle and a bronze in the 200m individual medley at the 2022 Asian Para Games. His triumphant story was immortalised in the 2019 short film Gawilan.
Also read: 6 Filipino paralympic athletes competing in the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games
Chen Po-Yen, table tennis athlete (Taiwan)
Para table tennis athlete Chen Po-Yen is set to make his debut at the 2024 Paris Paralympics after winning gold in the II1 Men’s Singles at the 2023 Virtus Global Games in France. In addition to his Global Games success, the 18-year-old won a gold medal in men’s singles and a silver in mixed doubles at the 2022 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou. Chen was inspired by her older sister to take up table tennis and has since trained hard to overcome his intellectual impairment to excel in the sport.
Also read: Unforgettable firsts and inspiring journeys: Asian athletes’ milestones at the Olympics
Tatler Asia’s Most Influential is the definitive list of people shaping our world today. Asia’s Most Influential brings together the region's most innovative changemakers, industry titans and thought leaders who are driving positive impact in Asia and beyond. View the full list here.
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