Pinay paralympian medalist, 8 other athletes now in London for 2012 Paralympics

Adeline Dumapong, the first Filipino paralympian medalist, and eight other Filipino athletes are now in London for the 2012 Paralympics to be held on August 29 to September 9. The group forms the biggest Philippine delegation ever sent to the Paralympics. Aside from Dumapong (Powerlifting), the other athletes are:

• Marites D. Urce (Athletics)
• Isdidro Vildosola(Athletics)
• Andy Avellana (Athletics)
• Roger Tapia (Athletics)
• Josephine Media (Table Tennis)
• Beariza Ma Roble(Swimming)
• Achelle Guion (Powerlifting), and
• Agustin Kitan (Powerlifting).

      In 2000, Dumapong lifted 120 kilograms to win the bronze in the under 82.5kg weight class, an earlier report on GMA News Online said.   Dumapong, born in Ifugao, also joined the 2008 Beijing Paralympics but did not receive a medal. Having suffered from polio when she was three years old, Dumapong's legs had to be amputated, another report on GMA News Online said.   In an earlier report of Chino Trinidad for GMA Network's “24 Oras” Timeout segment, Dumapong said, before she joined the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, she asked herself, “Tinatanong ko din sa sarili ko, lalo na pag nahihirapan na ako. Iniisip ko, bakit ko ba ginagawa ito?”   “Ngayon, ginagawa ko ito kasi kailangan at tsaka kasi gusto ko magbigay ng medalya para sa bansa natin,” Dumapong replied.   Although lacking adequate equipment for training, Dumapong still had a strong fighting spirit.   “If you want to achieve something worthwhile then you have to go out of your comfort zone,” she said.   “Tanggapin mo yung mga limitasyon pero wag ka lang huminto sa pagtanggap. Get over it,” she added. - Andrei Medina, VVP, GMA News