The Paralympic swimmers of Team Philippines and the para athletes started to haul the gold medals on Wednesday, Day 1 of the 13th ASEAN Para Games in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
The Philippines won eight gold medals on Wednesday: three from para swimming, one from para fencing, and four from para athletics.
All they do is swim/win
Paralympian Gary Bejino was the first to win a gold medal for the Philippines, setting a new Para Games record of 5:32.08 in the men's 400m freestyle S6 finals.
It's his fourth Para Games gold and third in the 400m freestyle event.
He actually wanted to shave his time even further to 5:30.
Ernie Gawilan then followed suit, securing the gold in the men's 400m freestyle S7 event with a time of 5:02.39.
Despite having ten Para Games gold now, this one is particularly sweet as his wife is eight months along for their first baby girl.
Paris Paralympian Angel Otom gave Philippine swimming its third gold, completing the 50m backstroke s4-s5 ahead of the pack with 47.29.
She's taking one important lesson from the Paris Paralympics to the Nakhon Ratchasima ASEAN Para Games, and that is to fight.
On point
Filipina fencer Marlyn Garrucho outscored Thailand’s Thitirat Pengprasittipong, 15-11, in the women’s individual sabre gold medal match.
Garrucho first had to beat her compatriot, Marieta Hernandez, in the quarterfinals, 15-6.
She then took on Thailand's Duean Nakprasit in a tough semis match, 15-13.
Athletics for the win
And then it was all athletics.
Jan Jyro Palermo started things with a gold in men's long jump T20.
He actually jumped his best right at the start, a 6.89 meters. Then he did so again on the third attempt.
His nearest opponent from Malaysia tried to keep it close, but all he was able to reach was 6.86 meters.
Evenizer Celebrado and Daniel Enderes Jr. did not expect to win the gold though.
They fell behind Vietnam throughout the men's 1500m T11 race.
But it turns out that Vietnam was disqualified, giving Celebrado and his guide the gold medal with a time of 4:57.49.
That also meant runner Roldan Sagan and his coach/guide Julius Sermona clinched the bronze.
It was a 1-2 result for Team Philippines in the men's 400m T52 event.
For the first time ever, Rodrigo Podiotan Jr. clinched the gold medal in the ASEAN Para Games.
It also became a new Para Games record, as he finished with a time of 1:01.06, far ahead of defending gold medalist and longtime friend Jerrold Mangliwan (1:01.43).
Cendy Asusano also tallied a personal best AND broke her own Para Games record.
She finished the women's shot put event with a distance of 6.04 meters.
That's farther than her 2023 meet record of 5.77 meters.
In comparison, the silver medalist from Vietnam threw the shot put 5.29 meters away.
Silver linings
Missed the gold by just a second.
The quartet of Beariza Roble, Gary Bejino, Angel Otom, and Marco Tinamisan was just 1.04 second behind Thailand for the gold medal of the mixed 4×50m freestyle relay 20 pts S1-S10.
They finished with a time of 3:03.41. The Thais recorded 3:02.37.
Joining the swimmers are the men's and women's wheelchair basketball 3x3 teams, who both fell to host Thailand.
Arman Dino got silver in the men's 200m T47 race with a time of 23.63.
Going for a 2-3 finish were Marydol Pamatian with a silver in the 41kg and Denesia Esnara with a bronze in the 55kg powerlifting.
Jesebel Tordecilla and Prudencia Panaligan also secured the silver and bronze respectively in the women's discus throw F55.
Rounding up the bronze medalists are Michael Bayani from the men’s para road cycling c3-c5 individual time trial finals, Francisco Ednaco in men's singles TPB8 in tenpin bowling, and Vengie Aurelio in the men's javelin throw F54.
[ALSO READ: SCHEDULE, RESULTS | Philippines at 13th ASEAN Para Games]
(With reports from Denisse Valdesancho/Cignal)
Katrina Alba is a sports journalist and producer, notably with SportsCenter Philippines before taking on her current role at One Sports.
She primarily writes about basketball and volleyball, with experience covering the SEA Games, Asian Games, and the FIBA World Cup.
Outside of work, her hobbies include running, swimming, pickleball, yoga, arnis, and krav maga.