Philspada seeks more berths in Rio Paralympics

The Philippine Sports Association for the DifferentlyAbled (Philspada) has sought for Bipartite Commission Invitation slots for four bets in athletics and para-triathlon in an effort to bulk up the three-member delegation to the 2016 Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Philspada-NPC Philippines executive director Dennis Esta expressed hopes the International Paralympic Committee and the concerned International Sports Federations will act favorably to their request and greenlight the inclusion of tracksters Andy Avellana, Jerrold Mangliwan, and Marites Burce, and paratriathlete Sixto Bucay in the Sept. 7-18 Games.

So far only three athletes have been confirmed for Rio – table tennis ace Josephine Medina, swimmer Ernie Gawilan, and veteran powerlifter Adeline DumapongAncheta.

“We already submitted a request to the Bipartite (commission); hopefully they will grant it,” Esta said during Philspada’s “The Paralympic Hour” program on DZSR yesterday.

Avellana (high jump men’s F42/44) and Mangliwan (T52 wheelchair racing) gave a good account of themselves in the 2015 Asean Para Games in Singapore and were said to have an inside track on berths to Rio, per conversation between the Philspada and IPC Athletics during the said meet.

Esta said they decided to formally request for slots for the two, as well as for Marites Burce, a thrower who took part in the 2012 Paralympics in London. Philspada also nominated Bucay in para-triathlon.

Rio- bound Medina, a semifinalist in the London Games, qualified by virtue of her high world ranking while Gawilan met the qualifying standard during the Singapore APG. Ancheta booked her fifth Paralympics stint via Bipartite.

“Philspada’s main focus now is on the Rio campaign, especially on those who already qualified and those who are waiting for confirmation,” said Esta.

Medina seeks to compete in a tournament in Romania before the Rio joust while Gawilan regularly trains at Philsports Complex. Ancheta is currently attending the US Department of State Global Sports Mentoring Program in the US but continues her training sessions at a nearby powerlifting gym.

Esta said Philspada is eyeing Philippine Sports Commission executive director Guillermo Iroy Jr. as the chef de mission of Team Phl.