MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines couldn’t have ended its campaign in the 2018 Asian Para Games any better after collecting an additional 4 gold medals in Jakarta, Indonesia on Friday, October 12. 

Swimmer Ernie Gawilan, cyclist Arthus Bucay and Sander Severino and the Philippine men’s chess team all ruled their respective events as the country hiked its gold medal haul to 10 – a major turnaround from its zero-gold finish in previous editions. 

Gawilan, who won the country its first gold  in Asian Para Games history, pocketed his third gold medal in the quadrennial meet with a runaway triumph in the men’s swimming 400m freestyle S7.

Not only did he dominate the competition with a time of 4:51.00 – more than 30 seconds faster than the silver medalist Chen Liang-da of Chinese Taipei (5:22.93) – he also set a new Games record. 

Bucay, meanwhile, lorded over the men’s cycling C5 individual pursuit 4000m after catching opponent Saori Sufyan of Indonesia, who settled for silver. He also won bronze in the men’s individual time trial C5. 

Fide Master Severino has triumphed in all of the 4 events he competed in with gold medals in the men’s chess individual rapid P1 and men’s chess team rapid P1 with Henry Roger Lopez and Jasper Rom. 

Reigning supreme in the men’s chess individual standard P1 and the men’s chess team standard P1 two days ago, Severino has now amassed a total of 4 gold medals. 

“This is a true testament of our para athletes resiliency, courage and determination in spite of their disablities,” said Asian Para Games chef de mission Kiko Diaz. – Rappler.com