PH targets 27 golds in 2017 ASEAN Para Games

Josephine Medina wins the bronze medal in the women’s individual table tennis – Class 8 at the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games. Photo by ITTF website

Looking to surpass the gold medal haul of the country’s able athletes, the Philippine delegation is setting
the bar high for the 2017 ASEAN Para Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

“The team is in high spirits, and if our estimation is correct, we have a strong chance of winning 27 golds, perhaps more,” said chef de mission Ral Rosario during the sendoff at the Dad’s in Mandaluyong City on Monday.

The 164-man strong Philippine team will feature 111 athletes competing in 12 sports with the goal of faring better than the country’s the 16 gold medal haul in Singapore two years back.

The paraathletes also have a chance to turn things around for Philippine sports, after the country just managed 24 golds—way below its target of 50—in the 2017 SEA Games last month.

Philippine Paralympic Committee president Mike Barredo is proud of how differently abled athletes have grown through the years since the association’s inception in 1997.

“It’s been 20 years and we’ve had participation in five Paralympic games, five Asian Paragames, and this is the ninth edition of our ASEAN Para Games. If you could see, this might be our biggest contingent that will join outside of our country. We’re getting bigger and it’s because we’re showing our might,” he said.

The Filipinos will compete in archery, athletics, badminton, boccia, chess, cycling, goalball, powerlifting, swimming, table tennis, tenpin bowling, and wheelchair basketball in the regional games set from September 17 to 23.

Woodpusher Menandro Redor will serve as the country’s flagbrearer after winning four gold medals in the visually impaired 2 division, which is for partially blind participants for chess in the 2015 ASEAN Para Games.

He will also spearhead the chess team’s quest for seven golds in Kuala Lumpur as they gun to improve the six-gold harvest from Singapore.

Also expected to strike gold are Paralympic bronze medalists Adeline Dumapong-Ancheta of powerlifting and Josephine Medina of table tennis.

Though still lacking in support, Barredo believes that the paraathletes are more than ready to  make the country proud.

“I think its important that you’re able to motivate yourself. We always believe in the triumph of the competitive spirit. Now that we’re getting support from the government, it’s important for us to give back to those who help us,” he said. “We’ll try our hardest, and if not, we’ll still try to achieve sporting excellence, inspire our countrymen, and bring honor to God and country.”

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