PARA-ATHLETES from across Asia competed in 18 sports during the 5th Asian Para Games, held from Oct. 18 to 24 in Aichi--Nagoya, Japan. The Philippines finished 17th in the medal standings, with two gold, two silver, and three bronze medals.

From Rehabilitation to Competition

The Paralympic movement traces its beginnings to the work of neurologist Ludwig Guttmann, who used sports as a form of rehabilitation for people with spinal cord injuries after World War II. The first official Paralympic Games were held in Rome, Italy, in 1960, with 400 athletes from 23 countries competing in eight sports. The movement later expanded to include athletes with other types of disabilities

The Philippines made its Paralympic debut at the 1988 Games in Seoul, South Korea. In 2010, Guangzhou, China, hosted the inaugural Asian Para Games, which brought together athletes from across the region. The first edition featured 19 sports, including archery, powerlifting, and sitting volleyball.

The Results from the 2026 Games

The event featured 18 sports including swimming, archery, cycling, and more. There were 33 countries that won at least one medal, and 22 went home with at least one gold. China bagged 207 gold medals, the most won in the event. Japan finished with 64 gold medals, while Uzbekistan finished with 45. 

Para swimmers Ernie Gawilan and Ariel Joseph Alegarbes won gold medals for the Philippines. Gawilan also secured a silver medal in the men's 200-meter individual medley SM7. In table tennis, Lhey Marie Manginsay and Wilfred Redulla won silver in the mixed doubles event. Para swimmer Raemond Adefuin and para-athletes King James Reyes and Ma. Ravina Carpena also contributed to the country's medal haul.

The Golden Victories

At age 30, Chinese swimmer Zhang Meng won eight gold medals in this event. Being confident and empowered with self-belief, she is ready to score her next victories as she looks forward to the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympics. “I’m certainly delighted to win eight medals, but I don’t think I’ve reached my limit yet,” she proudly stated. 

Filipino para swimmer Ernie Gawilan won gold in the men's 400-meter freestyle S7 and silver in the men's 200-meter individual medley SM7. In a pre-tournament interview with the Philippine Sports Commission-Philippine Paralympic Committee Media Pool, the 35-year-old athlete said his child motivates him to continue competing. “Yung baby ko ang nagbibigay sa akin ng inspiration para muling manalo,” he said.

The Philippine Paralympic Committee (PPC) has also been working to recruit younger para-athletes through national competitions, including the Palarong Pambansa and the Philippine National Games. The initiative aims to widen opportunities for aspiring Filipino para-athletes to compete internationally.

The fifth Asian Para Games opened on Oct. 18 under the ceremony concept “WABI,” which stands for “We Are Beautiful Individuals.” The event concluded last Oct. 24, with Doha, Qatar, set to host the next edition in 2030.

The performances of the Filipino para-athletes at the Games highlighted their achievements in international competition and the opportunities available to athletes with disabilities.