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During Ernie Gawila’s PSA Awards. Photo: Tristan Tamayo / INQUIRER.net (file)
Ernie Gawilan showed his readiness to grab the medal at the upcoming Tokyo Paralympics.
The three-time gold winner of the Asian Para Championships brought his play to the German Internationale Deutsche Meisterschaften Berlin 2021 World Para Swimming Series and demanded a bronze medal in the men’s 400m freestyle against the world’s finest Para Swimmers.
I had a hard workout before going here, and I’m happy to have managed to win the medal despite the challenges, said Filip Gawilan.
A swimmer with underdeveloped limbs living in Davao City completed the 400-meter freestyle final in five minutes and 3.74 seconds to catch gold medalist Marco Ozaeta Velasco of Spain (5: 00.41) and silver winner Arian Notretu (5: 02.10).
Gawilan, 30, saw activity in the S7 classification in Berlin, a category defined by the International Paralympic Committee as para-swimmers with one leg and one arm amputation on opposite sides, or paralysis of one arm and one leg on the same side.
The 2016 Rio De Janeiro Paralympic has competed in the S7 and S8 rankings since 2014.
S8 swimmers are stronger than S7 athletes because they have a lower disability, said Gawilan, who also snatched seven gold medals at Asean Para.
The International Paralympic Committee identified 10 different sports for athletes with reduced mobility. The lower the number, the stricter the restriction of activity.
Gawilan is expected to join the Tokyo Paralympics from August 24 to September 5. 2016 Paralympic bronze medalist Josephine Medina is table tennis, taekwondos Allain Ganapin and wheelchair rival Jerrold Mangliwan.
Michael Parred, president of the Philippine Paralympic Committee, said they expect about 10 Filipino paralympians for the upcoming Paralympics. INQ
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