WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Differently abled athletes take the spotlight as the Tokyo Paralympics gets underway from August 24 to September 5.

Six Filipinos punched their tickets to Tokyo and they will compete with over 4,500 para athletes who will see action in the 16th edition of the Summer Paralympic Games.

Asian Games gold medalist Ernie Gawilan (para swimming) spearheads the Philippine delegation that includes Gary Bejino (para swimming), Jerrold Mangliwan and Jeanette Aceveda (para athletics), Allain Ganapin (para taekwondo), and Achelle Guion (para powerlifting).

The six-man Filipino lineup, however, has been reduced to five after the Philippine Paralympic Committee announced a para athlete tested positive for the coronavirus alongside coaches and officials.

In this edition, the country aims to surpass its bronze-medal finishes in the 2000 Sydney and 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games courtesy of Adeline Dumapong (para powerlifting) and Josephine Medina (para table tennis), respectively.

Can the Philippines replicate its success in the recently concluded Olympics and leave its mark in Tokyo for its best Paralympics campaign?

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