Accidental heroine Otom is new face of PH para swimming

Angel Mae Otom during Heat 2 of the women’s 50m backstroke S5 at the Paralympics 2024 in Paris.–PSC PHOTO

PARIS—A lost Persons With Disabilities (PWD) card turned out to be fortuitous for Angel Mae Otom, who may end up becoming the face of Philippine para swimming.

Missing a second and last chance at a medal, again on the last stretch to the finish, Otom will still get some acknowledgement of sorts as the Philippines’ top performer here when she carries the flag into the closing ceremonies of the 17th Paralympic Games on Sunday at the 80,698-seat Stade de France.

“For me, everything is happening so fast. To swim here, I think, has become my destiny,” said the 21-year-old Otom in Filipino.

Indeed, her journey here seemed like a product of both hard work and a little twist of fate. Otom, the Olongapo City wonder who has been without arms since birth, lost her PWD card seven years ago and was working to get it replaced when she was spotted and asked to try her luck in swimming.

Then 14, she represented her city in the Philippine National Para Games (PNPG).

An only child whose goal is to help support her parents, Otom was discovered by para national swimming coach Tony Ony and the latter’s son Bryan on her second stint in the PNPG back in 2018.

Otom eventually swam for the country in international youth competitions, before hitting it big in the 2022 Asean Para Games in Vietnam and the 2023 edition in Cambodia, where she won a combined seven gold medals.

Overcoming anxiety

The third-year student from the UP Diliman College of Human Kinetics brought her act to this city of lights and love and achieved another personal milestone by nearly grabbing medals in the women’s 50-meter backstroke and butterfly S5 finals.

“This is really the first time that I saw Angel fight it out. She never backed down. We might have not won a medal, but we’ve learned a lot and I know she will strive moving forward,’’ said deputy national para swimming coach Bryan Ong.

On both occasions, Otom speedily went off the blocks and was a clear third three-fourths of the way before her rivals for the bronze came charging to the wall, relegating her to fifth place twice.

“I almost had it. It really feels good that I competed and got to know other disabled athletes from other countries. It gives me a new perspective in life,’’ said Otom.

More importantly, she was able to overcome her recurring panic attacks prior to stepping on the starting block, something that began during the pandemic. Here, there was no more trace of those anxieties.

“I’m glad that I’ve overcome it,’’ said Otom, thanking the psychologist and psychiatrist that the Philippine Paralympic Committee and the Philippine Sports Commission hired for the national Paralympic team, as well as her coaches.

Otom will be back in Manila on Tuesday with the five other Filipino Paralympians—archer Agustina Bantiloc, wheelchair racer Jerrold Mangliwan, thrower Cendy Asusano, taekwondo’s Allain Ganapin and swimmer Ernie Gawilan.