The Philippines had another big year at this year’s Olympics, with gymnast Carlos Yulo securing back-to-back gold medals and boxers Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas bagging a bronze medal each. The Olympic Games might be over, but the excitement doesn’t stop here, as 2024 Paris Paralympic Games is just about to begin. This year, the Philippines is sending six para-athletes to the Paralympics. Get to know the Filipino Paralympians for 2024:

Agustina Maximo Bantiloc

Olympic sport: Women’s Archery – individual compound

Hailing from Tanudan, Kalinga, Agustina Bantiloc qualified for the 2024 Summer Paralympics after she secured a bronze medal at the Asian Continental Qualification Tournament in Thailand last November 2023. The 56-year-old para-athlete is currently ranked 25th in the world for the Compound Women Open category for archery. She is the first Filipino para-archer who has qualified for the Paralympic Games.

Jerrold Pete Mangliwan

Olympic sport: Men’s Athletics – track (400m T52, 100m T52)

Jerrold Mangliwan has already brought home several medals (6 golds and 1 silver) from the ASEAN Para Games and gold and silver medals (400m and 100m T52 races, respectively) from the 2022 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, China.

The 44-year-old para-athlete’s gold win at Hangzhou secured his ticket to the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. This is his third time competing in the Paralympics, having also participated in the 2016 and 2020 editions.

Cendy Asusano

Olympic sport: Women’s Athletics – javelin throw F54

Cendy Asusano booked her Paris 2024 ticket after finishing 4th in the Women’s Javelin Throw F54 of World Para Athletics Championships last May held in Kobe, Japan.

In the 2023 ASEAN Para Gamesin Cambodia, she secured gold medals in the women’s shot put and javelin throw F54 events and a bronze medal from the discus throw event.

Ernie Gawilan

Olympic sport: Men’s Swimming – 400m freestyle S7, 200m individual medley SM7

This is not Ernie Gawilan’s first time being a Paralympian, having competed in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. He qualified for Paris 2024 through the Minimum Qualifying Standard (MQS) and for being in the top 6 in the 400m freestyle and top 8 in the 200m individual medley at the worlds.

He became the first Filipino gold medalist in the Asian Para Games after he secured the top podium in the men’s 200 meter individual medley SM7 in 2018 in Jakarta, Indonesia. In total, the 33-year-old para-athlete has brought the Philippines 4 golds, 2 silvers, and 4 bronzes in the Asian Para Games and 9 golds, 3 silvers, and 3 bronzes in the ASEAN Para Games.

Angel Otom

Olympic sport: Women’s Swimming – 200m freestyle S5, 50m backstroke S5, 50m butterfly S5

Making her Paralympic debut this year, Angel Otom secured her spot in Paris 2024 through the Minimum Qualifying Standard (MQS), as well as for being ranked 3rd in the 50m backstroke and 6th in the 50m butterfly at the worlds. Before the Paralympics, the 20-year-old para-athlete bagged 4 gold medals at the 2023 ASEAN Para Games.

Allain Keanu Ganapin

Olympic sport: Men’s Taekwondo

Before this year, Allain Ganapin also qualified for Tokyo 2020, where he became the first Filipino to qualify for taekwondo. Unfortunately, he was unable to compete due to testing positive for COVID-19. The 26-year-old is looking to make a comeback for Paris 2024, where he qualified after beating India’s Sandeep Singh Maan in the Asian Qualification Tournament in China.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tiktok, and Youtube for the l8est entertaining, useful, and informative lists!