PH swimmer Ernie Gawilan qualifies for Tokyo Paralympics

Ernie Gawilan during the PSA Awards. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Swimmer Ernie Gawilan became the first Filipino to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games due to his stellar performance in the 2018 Asian Para Games in Indonesia.

Gawilan won the gold medal in the 400-meter freestyle (S7 class), 100m backstroke (S7 class), and 200m individual medley (SM7 class) in the continental meet to earn him qualification points.

Congratulations Ernie Gawilan for being the first Filipino qualifier in the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Japan We are proud of you!#GalingngAtletangPilipino#parasainangbayan

Posted by PSC (Philippine Sports Commission) on Wednesday, February 19, 2020

This is Gawilan’s second Paralympic Games as he also competed in the 2016 edition in Rio de Janeiro.

Gawilan, however, will still need to compete in one more Paralympic Qualifier to reclassify his disability—limb deficiency—before finalizing his entry to the Tokyo Games.

The Tokyo Paralympic Games will be held from August 25 to September 6.