The Philippines is sending 69 athletes to the 5th Asian Para Games in Nagoya, Japan, from October 18 to 24, aiming to surpass its previous medal haul despite the absence of chess, which accounted for most of the country’s gold medals in 2023.
PH Para Team Targets Better Medal Haul Without Chess
Philippine Paralympic Committee president Mike Barredo said at a sportswriters’ forum on Tuesday, October 13, that he had pushed for chess to be included in this year’s program. He suggested the sport may have been excluded because the Philippines was expected to dominate.
At the 2023 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, the country won 10 gold, four silver, and five bronze medals, finishing ninth overall. Chess delivered eight of those gold medals.
The Philippine delegation will compete in 11 sports in Nagoya, including swimming, athletics, cycling, table tennis, and taekwondo.
Para Taekwondo Athletes Confident Ahead of Competition
Para taekwondo coach Gershon Bautista said Filipino athletes have maintained consistent training and possess skills comparable to the region’s top competitors.
China remains a formidable contender after dominating the 2023 edition with 214 gold, 167 silver and 140 bronze medals. Barredo estimated that China accounted for roughly half of all gold medals, partly because it fields two or three athletes per event.
Barredo Pushes for Grassroots Para Sports Development
The Philippine team is also drawing momentum from the regular Asian Games, where the country won 29 medals: four gold, nine silver, and 16 bronze. It was the Philippines’ biggest medal haul at the event since 1966.
Beyond the upcoming competition, Barredo emphasized the need to develop more Filipino para athletes through grassroots programs.
Barredo is also pushing for the inclusion of Para sports in Batang Pinoy, the country’s national youth games, to give young athletes more opportunities to train, compete, and eventually represent the Philippines internationally.
The initiative aims to build a deeper pool of talent and strengthen the country’s competitiveness in future international Para sports competitions.
