MANILA, Philippines—London Paralympics hopefuls Ernie Gawilan and Ma. Josephine Bea Riza Roble bagged multiple gold medals Sunday in the swimming competition of the 1st PSC-Philspada National Games being held at the Marikina Sports Park.
Gawilan, who set records in the 100m backstroke, 200m individual medley and 400m freestyle events in the Asean ParaGames in Indonesia last December, bagged his fourth gold medal in the men’s 100m freestyle in one minute and 11 seconds.
The 20-year-old Gawilan, born without feet, earlier topped the men’s 200 freestyle (2:39.05), 50m backstroke (40.08) and 50m butterfly (38.14).
The Davao-based Gawilan narrated he used to suffer from hyrdrophobia.
“I was so scared then of drowning,” Gawilan said in Filipino. “But I conquered my fear and learned to swim in 2004. I gained confidence and hopefully, make it to the Olympics.”
Gawilan vowed to train harder so he can meet the qualifying time by April or May. He is still 15 seconds over the 400m freestyle criteria and four seconds off the 100m backstroke qualifying time.
Roble, so far, has four gold medals in the Games organized by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee and Philippine Sports Association for the Differently Abled-National Paralympics Committee of the Philippines (Philspada-NPC Phils).
Competing under the dwarfism and orthopedically handicapped division, Roble won golds in the 100m freestyle (2:02.06), 200m freestyle (4:10.25), 50m butterfly (2:01.43) and 50m backstroke (1:26.32).
Unlike Gawilan, Roble’s immersion in swimming began for medical reasons.
“I had osteoporosis because of my hips operation when I was only nine years old,” Gawilan recounted, “Doctors recommended swimming as my therapy.”
Philspada-NPC sec-gen Carlos Weber Jr. is confident Roble can make it to the 2012 London Paralympic Games in August.
In athletics, Jeanette Acebeda took the gold in the F12-F13 class of women’s discus (19.45 meters) and javelin throw (13.30)