By MARK REY MONTEJO
Wheelchair racer Jerrold Mangliwan and javelin thrower Cendy Asusano booked themselves tickets to the Philippine team to the 2024 Paris Paralympics, the Philippine Sports Commission announced Friday, June 28.
This would be the third Paralympics for the 44-year-old Mangliwan after his maiden stint in the 2016 Rio Games followed by the 2020 Tokyo edition where he served as the country’s flag-bearer.
“Finally it’s official. I’m going to Paris!” Mangliwan wrote on social media moments after the announcement.
Mangliwan boasted of a gold medal in the men’s 400-meter T52 and silver in the 100m T52 in last year’s Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, China.
He has so far collected six gold medals in the ASEAN Para Games since joining the national team in 2009.
Meanwhile, it would be Asusano’s first trip to the Paralympics after a fourth-place finish in the women’s javelin throw F54 at the World Para Athletics Championships in Kobe, Japan last May.
Last year, Asusano was one of the bemedaled athletes for Team Philippines in the 12th ASEAN Para Games in Cambodia where she completed a golden double after topping the women’s javelin throw F54 and shot put F54.
She also bagged bronze in discus throw F54.
So far, the country has six para-athletes qualified to Paris that include taekwondo jin Allain Ganapin (men’s 80kg), swimmers Angel Otom (women’s 200m freestyle, 50 backstroke, 50m butterfly) and Ernie Gawilan (men’s 400m freestyle, 200m individual medley) and archer Agustina Bantiloc.
The Paralympics is slated Aug. 28 until Sept. 8.
