By Jerome Lagunzad
Determined to give person with disability (PWD)-athletes a chance to showcase their talents, the country’s local triathlon body recently formed Philippine ParaTriathlon Committee in preparation for future international events.
The Triathlon Association of the Philippines (TRAP) has appointed veteran management consultant and sportswriter Lito Cinco as chairman of the PPTC, with Sarita Zafra, Anton Tangan, head coach Anthony Lozada and Fabie David as core group members and TRAP secretary general Tom Carrasco as adviser.
Part of the group’s immediate plan is forming a national team of paratriathletes by the first quarter of 2018 which will serve as the training pool for the Asian Paratriathlon Championships set in Albay in August, the 2019 ParaGames to be held parallel with the SEA Games that the country will host, and the 2020 Paralympics.
Aiming to develop paratriathlon in the country, TRAP is one of the few National Sports Associations (NSA’s) already working towards this goal of developing programs for the differently-abled athletes.
“PWD-athletes need understanding, they are not begging. They need opportunity and not pity, and we are committed towards attaining our set goal of giving those interested the opportunity to become members of the Philippine paratriathlon team in the future and bring honor to themselves and to the country,” said Carrasco, also the vice president of the Philippine Paralympic Committee headed by Mike Barredo.
Meanwhile, Cinco said he has already linked up with Cebu Paratriathlon community and is eyeing local, Alex Silverio, who has already completed a triathlon event recently, and the Philippine Marines as possible source of potential athletes.
