The Tokyo Paralympics opens today, August 24, and will culminate on September 5, after a year-long pandemic delay and with the virus continuing to cast a long shadow as Japan – and the whole world – battles a record surge in cases. The Games will see about 4,400 athletes from around 163 national teams contending in 22 sports, with athletes competing in different categories and classes, depending on the nature of their disability.
Though underfunded, undervalued and almost always overlooked, the Paralympics is a news-worthy event with so much to offer and deserve more than the scant coverage it gets. In fact, the quality and quantity of most media coverage still lags behind the Olympics. Para athletes have often been portrayed in passive poses, with a focus on their impairment rather than their sporting abilities.
This should change as the resilience and perseverance of the disabled, as they overcome great odds, are already a sight to see.
Paralympics is more than just an afterthought
In 1960, the first Paralympic Games took place in Rome, featuring just 400 athletes from 23 countries. Its name is intended to indicate an event happening in parallel or alongside the Olympics. Over the years, The Games’ fanbase and athlete categories grew and evolved into what it is now, with badminton and taekwondo as new additions this year.
The Paralympic Movement offers sports opportunities for athletes who fall under three categories of impairment types – physical impairments, vision impairment and intellectual impairment. There are some sports open to athletes in all categories, while others are reserved for specific impairments.
What’s unique about the Paralympics?
Most para-sports are similar to the Olympics, like athletics and swimming, while some involve modifications, such as wheelchair rugby, blind football, and sitting volleyball. Not known to many, boccia and goalball are two sports unique to the Paralympics.
Some Paralympians with vision impairments are allowed to work with assistants. There are the pilots who pair up with visually impaired cyclists, the guide runners who can be attached to a para athlete by a strap, and tappers for para-swimmers who keep them safe as they approach turns or the finish.
The International Paralympic Committee has produced around 5,000 gold, silver and bronze Paralympic medals for the Games, featuring the words “Tokyo 2020” written in Braille.
Philippines in the Paralympics
Since 1988, the Philippines have sent three para athletes to Seoul to compete in the Summer Paralympics. The largest contingent we have sent was during the 2012 London Paralympics, with nine athletes competing in four sports.
While we have yet to win a gold medal in the Paralympics, para-powerlifter Adeline Dumapong and para-paddler Josephine Medina have captured one bronze medal each for the country at the 2000 Sydney Games and 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games respectively.
This year, six para athletes have qualified to represent the Philippines in Tokyo with hopes to duplicate the success of their fellow athletes in the Olympics.
In high spirits, the recent development on some delegates testing positive for Covid-19 is another setback the team is ready to overcome. Philippine Paralympic Committee President Mike Barredo expressed his confidence in the athletes’ pursuit of their Paralympic dreams.
Shining a spotlight on our Paralympians
2016 Rio Paralympic Games veteran, wheelchair racer Jerrold Mangliwan (Para Athletics) was awarded the distinction of being the country’s flag bearer for the opening ceremony at that National Japan Stadium. Hailing from San Jose del Monte, Mangliwan started racing in 2009 upon the encouragement of a friend. This two-time ASEAN Para Games gold medalist is set to compete in three events including Men's 400m T52, Men’s 1500m T52 and Men’s 100m T52.
Set to make her Paralympic debut, para athletic Jeanette Aceveda will compete in the Women's discus throw F11. At 50 years old, she makes history as the first visually impaired Filipino athlete to make the Paralympics. Aceveda recorded a personal best of 18.27 meters, which eclipsed the MQS of 18 meters.
Para swimmer Gary Bejino is tipped to join four events including Men’s 200m individual medley SM6, Men’s 400m freestyle S6, Men’s 50m butterfly S6, Men’s 100m backstroke S6 – the most for an athlete in the country’s Paralympics team. Clinching a silver and two bronze medals in the 2018 Asian Para Games, the 25-year-old Albay native seems to be unstoppable.
Another history in the making, Allain Ganapin will be the first-ever Filipino para taekwondo jin to step onto the Paralympic stage to take part in the men’s K44 - 75kg division. Since becoming a member of the Philippine Team in 2016, the youngest member of the contingent has already brought home two bronze medals from 2017 Oceania Para Taekwondo Open in Auckland, New Zealand and 2021 Asian Olympic qualifiers in Amman, Jordan.
With no plans of slowing down even at 50, veteran para powerlifter, Achelle Guion sealed her second Paralympic Games slot when the IPC gave her a bi-partite approval to compete in the women's 41kg event of the global meet. Under her belt are two silver medals from 2014 and 2018 Asian Para Games. The Negros Occidental para athlete is the last addition to the Philippines' Tokyo Paralympics delegation, surpassing the five-athlete squad in the 2016 Rio edition.
Rounding out the contingent, seasoned para swimmer Ernie Gawilan, who was chosen to carry the flag in the closing ceremony, will see action in three events, including Men's 200m Individual Medley SM7, Men’s 400m freestyle S7, Men’s 100m backstroke S7. One of the top bets of the Philippine Paralympic Team, Gawilan is the most bemedaled para athlete in the 2018 Asian Para Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, bagging three golds and two silvers. Gawilan secured a direct qualification to the Tokyo Games in the 2021 World Para Swimming World Series in Berlin, Germany, where he clinched bronze from the 400m freestyle event.
SUPPORT! SUPPORT! SUPPORT!
Para athletes are more than just their disabilities. They have extraordinary abilities; and if we look closer, their journeys are the most inspiring ones you will ever encounter. Their passion, commitment and determination to overcome any obstacle that comes their way is astounding.
Our para athletes deserve to be celebrated in the same manner we celebrate our Olympic heroes. It is important that we celebrate these six national athletes, though not all of them may win a medal, simply because of what they represent and the process they went through to get there.
Seeing them compete against the world’s best is in itself a great honor and satisfaction for the country. Here’s to watching them with the same interest whether they make it to the podium or not!
To our national para athletes, Mabuhay Kayo!
Full schedule of the Tokyo Summer Paralympics can be viewed here.