THE Philippines eyes at least fourth place in the 2020 Asean Para Games, with officials saying there is also a chance to get past Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, the top three placers from the last edition of the games.
Philippine Paralympic Committee president Mike Barredo hopes the Philippines can surpass the fifth place overall finish from the ninth edition in Malaysia where Filipino athletes won 20 gold, 20 silver and 29 bronze medals, two notches higher than the seventh place finish (16-17-26) in the 2015 Singapore Para Games.
“Last 2017, fifth place na tayo we went up two notches kaya medyo magandang conservative target natin para sa Para Games dito at least fourth place,” Barredo said.
“Pero kung kakayanin natin talunin yung top three countries pipilitin natin,” he added.
Already set on the calendar are 14 sports including athletics and swimming, wheelchair basketball, judo, table tennis, bowling, archery, badminton, cycling and chess.
Also set to be played are boccia, goal ball, powerlifting and sitting volleyball. Triathlon and cerebral palsy football are still under evaluation, while shooting and wheelchair tennis were also added to the provisional list.
Barredo said the country will participate in all the 14 confirmed sports. The country will also see action in triathlon if it is confirmed, while the PPC is still in the process of forming a team for cerebral palsy football.
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