Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 28) – Following a masterful performance by the Pinoy para chessers throughout the tournament, the Philippines concluded its run in the 4th Asian Para Games with 10 gold, four silver, and five bronze medals, taking 9th place overall – its best performance since the event was founded.
Since the Para Asiad began in 2010, the Philippines has crept up the rankings. At the first games in 2010, the country ranked 21st overall; it then took 24th in 2014; 11th in 2018; and finally, this year, it breached the top 10.
Asian Para Games, also known as Para Asiad, is a multi-sport event regulated by the Asian Paralympic Committee that’s held every four years after every Asian Games for athletes with physical disabilities.
The Philippines sent 70 athletes to compete in Hangzhou, China. This is how they fared:
Gold
This year’s Para Asiad ran from Oct. 22 to Oct. 28. On the last day, the country’s chess team doubled the Philippines’ golden harvest from five to 10.
Arena Grand Master Henry Roger Lopez took the first gold, winning the men’s individual rapid PI (physically impaired).
National Master (NM) Darry Bernardo, the Philippines’ flag-bearer, copped the next at the men’s individual rapid VI-B2/B3 (visually impaired/blind).
Atty. Cheyzer Mendoza struck the third of the day by dominating the women’s individual rapid PI.
Bernardo and fellow NMs Arman Subaste and Menandro Redor bested Indonesia in the men’s team rapid VI-B2/B3 for the fourth gold.
Finally, FIDE Master Sander Severino, Jasper Rom, and Lopez capped off the day with the fifth gold medal in the men’s team rapid PI event.
Two days earlier, chessers Redor, Mendoza, and the trio of Bernardo, Redor, and Subaste reaped three more gold for the Philippines.
Eight of the Philippines’ 10 gold medals came from chess.
Tanker Ernie Gawilan won the first in the men’s 400 meter freestyle S7 on Oct. 24.
Wheelchair racer Jerrold Mangliwan brought home another gold medal on Oct. 27 at the men’s 400m T52 tournament.
Silver
On Oct. 24, racer Mangliwan won silver in the men’s 100m T52 under athletics.
Then, on Oct. 26, chessers delivered three of the country’s silver medals:
– The women’s trio of Mendoza, Cheryl Angot, and Jean-Lee Nacita in the women’s team rapid PI
– The men’s trio of Severino, Rom, and Lopez, in the men’s team standard PI.
– Lopez in the men’s individual standard
Bronze
Filipino tankers won three bronze medals in the swimming tournament of the games.
Gawilan took the first bronze in the men’s 200m individual medley on Oct. 23.
Swimmer Gary Bejino delivered another two, in the men’s 100m freestyle on Oct. 23 and then again in the men’s 400m freestyle on Oct. 26.
The Pinay chesser trio Angot, Mendoza, and Nacita also won bronze in the women’s team standard on Oct. 26.
Finally, chesser Severino bagged bronze in the men’s individual standard on Oct. 26.
