Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 27) – Filipino wheelchair racer Jerrold Mangliwan missed a medal finish in the Tokyo Paralympics men’s 400-meter T52 final on Friday at the Olympic Stadium.
The 41-year-old Mangliwan completed the race, but officials ruled his disqualification for not keeping inside his allocated lane from start to finish.
Philippine para-athletics team head coach Joel Deriada said Mangliwan crossed the lane of one of his competitors, which caused his disqualification. American racer Isaiah Rigo was also disqualified for the same lapse.
Mangliwan could have finished fifth in the race with a new personal best of one minute and 0.80 seconds, if not for his disqualification.
Host nation Japan secured the gold and bronze medals in the event, with Tomoki Sato topping the field with a Paralympic record time of 55.39. Hirokazu Ueyonabaru brought home the bronze with a time of 59.95 seconds.
American wheelchair racer Raymond Martin settled for a silver medal finish – clocking in 55.59 seconds.
Mangliwan qualified for the event final after being one of the two fastest racers outside the top three of each preliminary heats on Friday morning. He finished with a time of one minute and 3.41 seconds.
The wheelchair racer from Tabuk, Kalinga also raced in the final of the same event in the 2016 Rio Paralympics, where he placed seventh overall.
Tokyo Paralympics: Team Philippines schedule, results, updates
He will not go home yet as he will still vie for a medal in the men’s 1,500-meter final on Sunday and the 100-meter T52 final on Sept. 3.
“He (Mangliwan) crossed an inner lane of his rivals, and this caused Jerrold’s disqualification,” said Deriada.
Mangliwan was disqualified for committing a lane infringement, in violation of the World Para Athletics Rule 18.5 (a). | @dtdyumol
📸: World Para Athletics Rules and Regulations 2020-2021 screenshot pic.twitter.com/uiBDRwa5MD
— CNN Philippines Sports Desk (@sportsdeskph) August 27, 2021
His personal best is at one minute and 2.17 seconds, which he made in the Nottwil Grand Prix in Switzerland in May. It was also in the same tournament where he officially qualified for the Tokyo Paralympics.
