Philippines' success in Tokyo Games fuels Paralympians

The Philippines' para athletes set to compete in the 2020 Tokyo Summer Paralympics are all drawing motivation from the historic campaign that the country had in the recently-concluded Olympic Games.

Four Filipinos in gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz, silver medalists Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam, and bronze winner Eumir Marcial brought honor to the country and the Paralympians hope to sustain this momentum.

"We're inspired and we are lifted up because of the success that happened in the Tokyo Olympics. We are more motivated to do better in the upcoming Paralympics," swimmer Ernie Gawilan said in Filipino on Tuesday's Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum.

The Philippine delegation is composed of six para athletes with wheelchair racer Jerrold Mangliwan (para athletics) carrying the country’s flag in the opening ceremony while Gawilan will have the same role in the closing ceremony.

Completing the delegation are discus thrower Jeanette Aceveda, swimmer Gary Bejino, taekwondo jin Allain Ganapin and powerlifter Achelle Guion.

Filipino jin Ganapin, who bagged a bronze medal in the Asian Qualifying Tournament for Tokyo 2020 held in Jordan in May, said they are raring to compete and duplicate the success of the Olympians.

"I am really proud of the medals we got in the Tokyo Olympics. We were all extra motivated during our training and we're thinking that we're already there in Tokyo," Ganapin shared.

The Paralympics opening ceremony is slated for August 24 with the Games running until September 5.

To this date, only two bronze medals were taken home by Filipino athletes in the Paralympics after powerlifter Adeline Dumapong won in Sydney 2000 and table tennis representative Josephine Medina in 2016 Rio.

—Bea Micaller/JMB, GMA News