The Philippine Paralympic Committee (PPC) and Philippine Sport for the Differently Abled (PHILSPADA) have requested to set up a training bubble for the athletes to prepare for their major tournaments this year.

The national para athletes – who hauled in a record 10 golds in the 2018 Asian Para Games – are set to compete in the delayed Tokyo Paralympic Games, the 11th ASEAN Para Games in Hanoi, Vietnam, and the 4th Asia Youth Para Games.

PPC, through Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman William “Butch” Ramirez, requested the use of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, the Philippine Sports Complex, Teachers Camp and the New Clark City Athletes Village for their training bubbles.

Para swimming star Ernie Gawilan leads the pack as he became the first Filipino to qualify for the Tokyo Paralympics last February 2020.

The Filipino swimmer set an Asian Para Games record in the 400m freestyle with a time of 4:51, earning him an automatic berth in the Paralympics from the International Paralympic Committee. 

He is also seeking to qualify for the 100m backstroke and the 200m individual medley events.

Last February 26, the Vietnam ASEAN Para Games Organizing Committee (VIEAPGOC) approved a total of 11 sports – athletics, archery, badminton, boccia, chess, goalball, judo, powerlifting, swimming, table tennis and wheelchair tennis – for the regional biennial meet.

Philippines, though, is among the member countries requesting to add 4 more sports – wheelchair basketball, CP football, cycling and sitting volleyball for the Vietnam Games.

The 10th ASEAN Para Games, which was slated to be staged in the Philippines, was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic after being postponed thrice. – Rappler.com