8 Olympians to lead PH team in ASEAN Para Games

According to a news report posted on the 9th ASEAN Para Games website on Monday, a total of 368 gold medals are at stake in the Games, which is the biggest in the tournament’s history with 16 sports. (Photo: Kuala Lumpur 2017/Facebook)

MANILA— Eight Olympians will banner Team Philippines in the 9th ASEAN Para Games that will be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on September 17-23.

According to the Philippine Paralympic Committee (PPC), table tennis player Josephine Medina, a bronze medalist in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, and powerlifter Adeline Dumapong, who also took the bronze in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, are among the 111 athletes competing in the biennial tournament, which Malaysia is hosting for the third time since 2001.

The other Olympians are Achelle Guion and Agustin Kitan of powerlifting, and Andy Avellana, Isidro Vildosola, Marites Burce and Roger Tapia of athletics. Kitan saw action in 2012 (London) and 2016 (Rio) while Guion, Avellana, Vildosola, Burce and Tapia competed in 2012.

A total of 46 officials, including 34 coaches, are in the delegation headed by PPC president Michael Barredo. PPC secretary general Gerardo Rosario is the chef de mission while Dennis Esta is deputy chef de mission.

Aside from athletics, table tennis and powerlifting, the Filipino athletes are competing in archery, badminton, boccia, bowling (tenpin), chess, cycling, goalball, swimming and wheelchair basketball.

According to a news report posted on the 9th ASEAN Para Games website on Monday, a total of 368 gold medals are at stake in the Games, which is the biggest in the tournament’s history with 16 sports.

Athletics has the most number of gold medals at 133 while swimming has 84.

The games will also feature football 5-A-side, CP football, sitting volleyball and wheelchair tennis.

The ASEAN Para Games will use the KL Sports City in Bukit Jalil, Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Center (MITEC), Putrajaya, Sunway Pyramid, National Tennis Center and the National Velodrome in Nilai—  the same venues used during the 29th SEA Games.

For the ASEAN Para Games, all athletes are expected to arrive in Kuala Lumpur early for the classification procedure scheduled on September 14-16. The classification process will determine the athletes’ impairment and participation.

The opening ceremony of the 9th ASEAN Para Games will be held at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on September 17.