NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Thailand — Tokyo Paralympian Gary Bejino set the tone for the Philippine delegation at the 13th ASEAN Para Games, capturing the nation’s first gold medal and shattering a meet record in the process.
Competing at the 80th Birthday Aquatics Center on Wednesday, Bejino dominated the men’s 400-meter freestyle S6 event, clocking in at 5:32.08. This performance erased his previous record of 5:38.26 set during the 2023 games in Cambodia.
A Personal Milestone For Bejino, the victory was more than just a sporting achievement. The first day of competition coincided with the second birthday of his son, Gray. “I am happy to get the gold and have my time be a bit faster,” Bejino said. “It added more motivation for me to win.”
Swimming Triple Gold Bejino’s victory sparked a gold rush for the Philippine swimming team:
- Ernie Gawilan: The veteran swimmer secured gold in the men’s 400m freestyle S7 with a time of 5:02.39, dedicating the win to his wife and their incoming daughter.
- Angel Mae Otom: The Paris 2024 Paralympian dominated the women’s 50m backstroke S4–S5, finishing in 47.29 seconds to claim the team’s third gold of the day.
Other Medalists Beyond the pool, several other Filipino athletes reached the podium:
- Silver: National men’s and women’s 3×3 wheelchair basketball teams (both falling to host Thailand).
- Silver: Marydol Pamati-an in women’s 41-kg para powerlifting (77-kg total lift).
- Bronze: Denesia Esnara in 45-kg para powerlifting (73-kg lift).
- Bronze: Michael Bayani in para cycling and Francisco Ednaco in Tenpin Bowling singles.
The Philippine delegation’s strong start in Thailand underscores the country’s growing prowess in para sports and sets a high bar for the remainder of the competition.