THE Philippine campaign in the Tokyo Olympics is serving as an inspiration to the six para-athletes who will compete in the Tokyo Paralympic Games set from August 24 to September 5.
Chef de mission Kiko Diaz bared the one-gold, two-silver, one-bronze campaign by the Philippines in the Tokyo Olympics is a motivation for swimmers Ernie Gawilan and Gary Bejino, wheelchair racer Jerrold Mangliwan, discus thrower Jeanette Aceveda, taekwondo jin Allain Ganapin and powerlifter Achelle Guion in their medal quest.
Diaz said that silver medalist Nesthy Petecio even had a pep talk with the Paralympic-bound athletes recently to cheer them up.
“Lahat ng ating mga abled-bodied athletes ay nagsisilbi bilang inspirasyon sa ating anin na manlalaro,” said Diaz during Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum. “Each and everyone of them continuous to be a source of inspiration for our delegation.”
Tokyo National Stadium
“Si Nesthy Petecio actually nakipag-Zoom meeting pa sa ating mga para-athletes. Naimibitahan siya ng coach ng para-athletics natin to share some words of wisdom in her experience and just motivate our athletes,” said Diaz.
“Tulad ng sinabi ko, kinikilala namin ‘yung kanilang kagalingan. Ito ang nagsisilbing inspirasyon para sa mga para-athletes at alam na alam na po ng mga para-athletes how this should translate to their eventual performance pagka sila na ang nasa Tokyo,” Diaz said.
Diaz is not putting pressure on Team Philippines to duplicate the Olympic campaign, but promised that the six para-athletes will do its very best in their campaign in Tokyo.
“Wala kaming specific tagline but malinaw sa amin na sa level ng patay kung patay. The opportunity given to them is so big and this opportunity, narerealize nila na this is already life changing for them kung papalarin man sila na manalo ng medalya. Taken into account all of this, ayaw natin sila dagdagan ng pressure na magdeliver at manalo. The win and the victory will come as a result of the effort that they will put in,” said Diaz.
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