57 PARA athletes bound for Indonesia next month

MANILA -- Paralympics medalists Adeline Dumapong-Ancheta of powerlifting and Josephine Medina of table tennis will lead Team Philippines in the 3rd Asian Para Games in Jakarta, Indonesia next month.

Ancheta is the first Filipino medalist in the Paralympics when she won the bronze in Sydney, Australia in 2000.

Medina, on the other hand, bagged the bronze medal at the 2016 Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The Filipinos will only compete in 10 out of the 18 sports calendared in the Asian Para Games scheduled on October 613. They are entered in archery (2), athletics (9), badminton (3), chess (12), cycling (2), judo (3), powerlifting (5), table tennis (6), swimming (5) and tenpin bowling (10).

Donning the national colors are Agustina Bantiloc and Giovanni Ola (archery); Prudencia Panaligan, Andy Avellana, Jerrold Pete Mangliwan, Joel Balatucan, Evaristo Carbonel, Jeanette Acebeda, Marites Burce, Arman Dino and Cendy Asusano (athletics); Jonas Matados, Paz Lita and Kathleen Pedrosa (badminton); Sander Severino, Henry Roger Lopez, Jasper Rom, Minandro Redor, Israel Peligro, Arman Subaste, Francis Ching, Rodolfo Sarmiento, Cecilio Bilog, Fe Mangayayam, Jeanlee Nacita and Cheryl Angot (chess); Arthus Bucay and Godfrey Taberna (cycling); Gener Padilla, Deterson Omas and Carlito Agustin (judo); and Achelle Guion, Agustin Kitan, Marydol Pamatian and Romeo Tayawa (powerlifting).

The Philippines is hoping to improve its five silvers and five bronzes finish in Incheon, South Korea four years ago. In the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, the Filipinos won four silvers and three bronzes.