Without chess to pad the medal table, Philippine para athletes still delivered at the Asian Para Games. Officials also want to give them a home of their own, with plans for the country’s first training center built exclusively for para athletes.

The Philippines finished 17th with two golds, two silvers and three bronzes at the 5th Asian Para Games in Nagoya, Japan, which closed on Saturday, Oct. 24, at the Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium. The Japanese hosts left chess off the program.

Asian Para Games Medal Haul: Gawilan, Alegarbes Strike Gold

Ernie Gawilan and Ariel Joseph Alegarbes won the gold medals in the pool. Gawilan also took silver, as did the table tennis mixed doubles pair of Wilfred Redulla and Lhey Marie Manginsay.

Swimmer Raemond Adefuin, runner King James Reyes and shot putter Ma. Ravinia Carpena each added a bronze medal. Adefuin earned his podium finish in his Asian Para Games debut.

At the 2023 Games in Hangzhou, the Filipinos collected 10 golds, four silvers and five bronzes, with chess accounting for eight of the golds. The Nagoya haul topped that performance once chess is removed from the tally.

Philippine Sports Commission chairman Patrick Gregorio said: “It was a very successful performance, congratulations.” He flew in for the final two days of the event to cheer for the Filipinos.

Gregorio added: “Ang Asian Para Games walang chess, yung huli sa China me chess dami medalya eto ginto dito mahirap panalunan, alam mong pinaghirapan.” He was comparing Nagoya with Hangzhou, where chess was on the program.

Philippine Paralympic Committee president Mike Barredo shared the sentiment. He said: “More or less, with what we did last Para minus chess, of course, we did well.”

Philippines Para Athletes Training Center Plan

Gregorio and Barredo also met with Asian Paralympic Committee president Majid Rashed to discuss collaborating on a training center exclusively for para athletes. It would be the first of its kind in the Philippines.

Gregorio said: “One of the reasons I’m here, I met with the APC president and asked them to help develop a game center pareho ng ginawa natin sa taekwondo, football and baseball.” He referred to earlier projects for those three sports.

The Philippine squad is looking ahead to the next edition in Doha, Qatar, where it hopes to make the country proud again. Gregorio said: “Ang importante tuloy ang suporta natin sa Philippine para athletes.”