Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 14) – Veteran powerlifter Achelle Guion is the sixth Filipino to qualify for the Tokyo Paralympics, Team Philippines chef-de-mission Francis Diaz told CNN Philippines on Wednesday.
Guion will make her second Paralympic appearance after international federation World Para Powerlifting approved her bipartite invitation.
The Bipartite Commission Invitation is an alternative qualification method for para-athletes who were not given a chance to qualify outright for the Paralympics. The international Paralympic federation will grant bipartite slots to athletes who applied based from their past performances in sanctioned tournaments, and the size of each country’s Paralympic delegation.
“Definitely happy and excited with this lean delegation. Each and every para-athlete committed to their best and hopefully land a medal for our country,” Diaz said.
The 49-year-old Guion is expected to compete in the women’s -45kg division in the upcoming Tokyo Paralympics, scheduled from August 24 to September 5.
Guion previously represented the country in the 2012 London Paralympics, where she competed in the women’s 44kg event. She also took home silver medals in the 2014 and 2018 Asian Para Games and 2017 World Para Powerlifting Championships.
Guion joins swimmers Ernie Gawilan and Gary Bejino, wheelchair racer Jerrold Mangliwan, discus thrower Jeanette Aceveda, and taekwondo jin Allain Ganapin in the Philippine contingent that will vie for a medal in the Tokyo Paralympics.
