Tanker Gawilan leads three-gold Para Games haul for PH

This file photo shows Ernie Gawilan in butterfly action.—PSC PHOTO

Ernie Gawilan came through with the Philippines’ first gold medal in the 11th Asean Para Games (APG), asserting his mastery in the men’s 400-meter freestyle S7 field after encountering little resistance on Monday.

The reigning Asian champion of the same event clocked four minutes and 54.87 seconds to the delight of a small Filipino crowd at Jatadiri Sports Complex in Semarang, Indonesia, as they bore witness to Gawilan’s greatness in the flesh.

“It was a good swim to start off our campaign. I hope to add more gold medals over the next couple of days,” said the 31-year-old Gawilan in Filipino, who hauled home a pair of golds and silvers in the previous edition of the APG in 2017 in Kuala Lumpur.

The Tokyo Paralympian and triple gold performer in the 2018 Asian Para Games aims to strike another mint in the 4x100m freestyle relay with fellow gold medalist Rolando Sabido, Arnel Aba and Edwin Villanueva on late Monday afternoon.

Sabido and Aba pulled off a 1-2 finish in the men’s 400m freestyle S9 with Sabido touching the wall in 5:09.40, nearly five ticks ahead of Aba, who had 5:14.13, while Villanueva placed third in the men’s 400m free S8.

Thrower Cendy Asusano made it three golds in a row for the 144-athlete Philippine contingent backed by the Philippine Sports Commission after emerging on top in the women’s javelin throw F54 at the start of athletics at Manahan Stadium.

“I never thought that I could win it on the first throw,” said Asusano, whose 13.72-m hurl on her first try proved enough to demolish the opposition.

Bronze medals came aplenty on the track with Daniel Enderes Jr. reaching the podium in the men’s 500m T20 race, Armand Dino in the men’s 100m T47, Joel Balatucan in the men’s shot put F55 and Jesebel Tordecilla in women’s discus throw F55.

Two more bronze medals were netted in table tennis courtesy of Billy Cartera, Racleo Martinez and Darwin Salvacion in the men’s team Class 4 and Jobert Lumanta and Jayson Ocampo in the men’s class 8 doubles.

Counting the silver in men’s 3×3 wheelchair basketball on Sunday, Filipino para athletes now boast an early overall medal tally of three gold, two silver and seven bronze medals.

More medals were expected to come in the afternoon in swimming, track and field and powerlifting, where two-time Asian Para Games silver medalist Achelle Guion is vying in the women’s 46-kilogram division. INQ