No pressure as Paralympians look to carry Team Philippines' momentum in Tokyo

The Philippines' para athletes set to see action in the 2020 Paralympics shrugged off pressure as they hope to finish what the Olympians have started in the Tokyo Summer Games.

Wheelchair racer Jerrold Mangliwan (para athletics), who was tapped to carry the country's flag in the opening ceremony, said he is embracing the challenge of competing at high level.

"For me, personally, there is no pressure," Mangliwan said in Filipino during a virtual send-off event organized by Citi Philippines on Thursday afternoon.

"To be honest, our morale was boosted because their [Filipino Olympians] start was great and when we compete in the Tokyo Paralympics, we want to finish what they have started," he added.

The Philippines will send six representatives to the Paralympics slated from August 24 to September 5.

Aside from Mangliwan, bannering the delegation is veteran swimmer Ernie Gawilan.

Gawilan had already seen action in the 2016 Rio Paralympics, where he competed in three events, the 400-meter freestyle, 100-meter freestyle, and 100-meter backstroke. The Filipino tanker was also hailed as the flag bearer in the Tokyo closing ceremony.

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

Aceveda, who was born partially blind, will have her maiden Paralympics appearance but she has been part of the national team since the late 1990s.

Pinoy jin Ganapin will also debut at the Paralympics stage and will emerge as the second Filipino taekwondo representative in Tokyo after Kurt Barbosa introduced himself in the Olympiad.

It's a different scenario for Guion as the 49-year-old athlete had already strutted her stuff in the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London. She also won silver medals in the 2014 and 2018 editions of the Asian Para Games.

Rounding out the Philippine para team is Bejino, who bagged a silver and bronze in the 2018 Asian Para Games.

Michael Barredo, the Philippine Paralympic Committee (PPC) president, admitted that what the 19 Filipino athletes had completed in the Tokyo Olympics is a tough act to follow but bared they are just hoping to inspire the youth in this endeavor.

"Our para athletes are going to Tokyo and hopefully, they will be able to inspire the people like what the Olympics did," he said.

Meanwhile, Mangliwan said that reaching the Paralympics stage is already a feat in itself and that winning a medal would only serve as a bonus.

"We are telling ourselves that by making it to this level, we are already winners. And if we win a medal, it's a bonus. But we have a high morale now."

—MGP, GMA News