Paralympics 2024: Wheelchair racer Jerrold Mangliwan enters final

Team Philippines’ wheelchair racer Jerrold Mangliwan is competing in the Paris Paralympics 2024. —PARALYMPICS YOUTUBE

PARIS—Racing under a heavy downpour, wheelchair racer Jerrold Mangliwan managed to squeeze himself into the final of the men’s 400-meter T52 on Friday in the 17th Paralympic Games.

Mangliwan wound up fourth in the first of two heats, but his 1:05.79 clocking was enough to carry the three-time Paralympian to the gold-medal race early Saturday morning.

“I was quite nervous and the slippery conditions didn’t help either,’’ said Mangliwan in Filipino after landing seventh among eight qualifiers in the final.

READ: Paris Paralympics 2024 schedule: Team Philippines

World champion and record holder Maxime Carabin of Belgium, as expected, easily ruled the first heat in 54.48 seconds.

Japan’s Tomoki Sato placed second overall in 58.04 seconds and Tomoya Ito joined his teammate in the final with a time of 1:00.42.

A new record in the heats 🤯 The Philippines Jerrold Mangliwan races his way through to the 400m final #Paris2024 #Paralympics pic.twitter.com/0lnLaLOx0W

— Paralympic Games (@Paralympics) August 30, 2024

`”I’m glad that he made it to the final. I hope that Jerrold can improve his time to give him a chance for a medal,’’ said Philippine Paralympic Committee president Michael Barredo.

Mangliwan, whose preparation and stint are bankrolled by the Philippine Sports Commission, is likewise hoping he doesn’t commit the same mistake in the 2021 Tokyo Paralympic Games.

READ: Paralympics: Mangliwan vows to keep away from wrong lane

Speedily navigating his way for a possible medal, the 44-year-old crossed the other lane during the Tokyo final, disqualifying him in the process.

Back then, Mangliwan’s coach Bernard Buen was quarantined in Tokyo due to COVID19 as the nation’s premier wheelchair race specialist for nearly a decade missed his mentor by his side.

Mangliwan learned his lesson well, and with Ebuen guiding him, Mangliwan snared the gold medal in the same event at the Asian Para Games last year in Hangzhou, China last year.

“Given Mangliwan’s experience three years ago, he knows what to do this time to prevent the same mistake from happening,’’ said Buen, who was straightforward with Mangliwan’s chances.

Buen said Carabin, the top bet to rule the same event following his dominance in the world championships last year, could again be the runaway winner, but didn’t discount the possibility of his ward seizing the bronze medal.

“If Mangliwan keeps his presence of mind and follows our game plan, there’s a big chance for Jerrold to medal,’’ said Buen.