HANGZHOU, China – National para swimmers Ernie Gawilan and Gary Bejino produced a pair of third-place finishes for the country’s first medals at the start of the 4th Hangzhou Asian Para Games swimming championships Monday night, Oct. 23, at the Hangzhou Olympic Center Aquatic Arena.
Aiming to defend the first of three titles he won in the 2018 edition in Jakarta, Indonesia, the legless Gawilan clocked two minutes and 52.82 seconds in checking in third behind two formidable Chinese foes, who both swam with one arm and two legs.
Huang Xianquan clocked 2:48.34 to pocket the gold in the 200-meter individual medley while compatriot Yang Huaqiang (2:50.73) settled for silver in the event in front of a banner hometown crowd at the ultra-modern 6,000-seat facility.
A Tokyo Paralympic Games veteran like Gawilan, Bejino, who lost one arm and one leg after being electrocuted at a young age, also had to play third wheel behind two Chinese bets, copping the bronze with a time of 1:12. 76 in the men’s 100-meter freestyle S6 finals.
He was able to foil a possible 1-2-3 Chinese, relegating Tang Qian to fourth place by a touch (1:12.85) after Tang had beaten the Filipino earlier in the heat of the stint backed by the Philippine Sports Commission.
“Hindi ko man po na-depensa ang event ko, nagpapasalamat na rin ako na nakagbigay ako ng unang medalya muli sa bayan sa Asian Para Games,” said Gawilan, who hopes to recover in time for the heats of the men’s 400-freestyle Tuesday morning.
Edwin Villanueva was swallowed in the wake of superior opposition, winding up eighth and last in the men’s 400-meter freestyle S8 finals with a time of 6:11.28.
A double gold medalist in the last Cambodia ASEAN Para Games, Bejino finished a close second in the first heat behind China’s Tang Qian (1:12.6) and was No. 4 behind Tang and two other hometown bets, Luo Jinbiao (1:09.80) and Jia Hongguang (1:12.11), who were 1-2, respectively.
