THE Philippines took part in the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games in Paris on Wednesday held at the Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Elysees.
All six athletes of Team Philippines joined the parade of nations with para swimmer Ernie Gawilan and para archer Agustina Batinloc carrying the flag.
Also in the parade are para track and field athletes Jerrold Mangliwan and Cendy Asusano, para swimmer Angel Otom, and para taekwondo athlete Allein Ganapin. Four coaches also joined the parade.
They wore uniforms and dresses designed by Ditta Sandico, known as the ‘Weave Artiste’
“This is going to be the biggest squad we can send in the Paralympic Games after 12 years. The Filipinos are more than excited to see your abilities shining on the international stage,” said Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richard Bachmann.
The Philippine team has been in France since August 11 as it held a camp in Nimes to acclimatize to the conditions.
“Your mere appearance in the Paralympic Games completes everyone’s dream for an inclusive sporting community,” said Bachmann.
The Philippine campaign opens on Thursday, 1 p.m. local time (7 p.m. Manila time) with Batinloc seeing action in the women’s individual compound open ranking round at the Invalides.
French para athletes Alexis Hanquiquant, Nantenin Keita, Charles-Antoine Kouakou, Fabien Lamirault and Elodie Lorandi lit the hot-air balloon cauldron signaling the formal start of the Paralympics.
A total of 168 delegations that included the Refugee Paralympic Team will be competing in Paris, the biggest ever.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
