Ernie Gawilan delivers first Philippine gold at Asian Para Games

NAGOYA — Filipino swim ace Ernie Gawilan delivered the Philippines’ first gold medal at the 5th Asian Para Games at the Rainbow Pool of the Nagoya City General Gymnasium.

The 35-year-old Davao City native, who has underdeveloped extremities, ruled the men’s 400-meter freestyle S7 gold in four minutes and 56.72 seconds to brighten what had been a gloomy Philippine campaign early in the eight-day competition.

He overcame a fierce challenge from China’s youthful Zhang Yilong and a familiar foe, Singapore’s Toh Wei Soong, who settled for silver and bronze with times of 5:01.36 and 5:24.23, respectively.

It was Gawilan’s third straight gold in the event and fifth overall, following his three-gold haul at the 2018 Jakarta Games and another gold in Hangzhou, China, three years ago.His clocking also secured him a spot at the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics, according to national para swimming coach Tony Ong.

“He’s already qualified in the 2028 LA Olympics because of his time,” Ong said.

In the morning preliminaries, Edwin Villanueva finished 10th and last in the men’s 400-meter freestyle S8 in 6:22.33, while Muhaimin Ulag placed 12th and last in the men’s 200-meter individual medley SM9 in 3:04.30.

Over at the Izu Velodrome, more than a three-hour drive from Nagoya, Patrick Lee and Arthus Bucay finished 12th and 14th in track cycling’s 1,000-meter time trial, clocking 1:14.888 and 1:19.496, respectively.

National cycling coach Norberto Oconer had earlier said they did not expect a medal on the track but vowed to bounce back in the road race, where they stood a better chance of a podium finish, possibly a gold.

In judo at the Aichi Prefectural Martial Arts Hall, Edmond Montecillo fell to Uzbekistan’s Ibrokhimjon Akbarov by ippon in the men’s J1 -70kg round of 16.

The defeat left Al Jaed Pacheco as the last Filipino judoka standing. He will battle Iran’s Mahdi Borchlou in the men’s J1 -81kg division Tuesday.

The country’s table tennis bets also fell like dominoes, with Lhey Manginsay and Billy Cartera bowing out of singles contention at Sky Hall Toyota.

Manginsay lost to the more experienced Kim Kun-Hea of South Korea, 3-11, 3-11, 2-11, in women’s singles Class 9, while Cartera absorbed a 4-11, 3-11, 3-11 defeat against Thailand’s Norakan Chanphaka in men’s singles Class 4-5.

Johna Pena suffered a 9-11, 6-11, 3-11 loss to South Korea’s Kim Seongok in women’s singles Class 7, while Noriko Batuhan succumbed to China’s Huang Zhirui, 5-11, 11-6, 3-11, 1-11, in women’s singles Class 3.

Still battling for a medal was Wilfred Redulla, who was facing Kazakhstan’s Ali Makhubekov in the men’s singles Class 8 quarterfinals at press time.

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