THE Philippines has trained plenty of Filipino para-athletes over the years. However, the athletes who introduced the Philippines to the Paralympic Games undoubtedly made the greatest impact — Adeline Dumapong-Ancheta, Ernie Gawilan, and Allain Ganapin. Up to this day, these national para-athletes continue to bring pride to the country and inspire every Filipino with their incredible stories and extraordinary journeys, both inside and outside of sports.

Adeline’s Superpower

Powerlifter Adeline Dumapong-Ancheta is considered one strong woman from the province of Ifugao Philippines. She was diagnosed with polio at the age of six — the reason why her parents decided to move her to a school for children with disabilities. Dumapong was first exposed to sports by a Belgian Missionary.

In a 2016 article on the Global Sports monitoring program, the powerlifter reiterated that she tried different sports when she was younger including wheelchair racing, wheelchair basketball, and swimming. However, those were not the sports she felt passionate about. Dumapong sought a sport that would make her feel strong. Hence, she became a member of the Philippines' powerlifting team in 1997. 

She made history by bringing the first Paralympic medal at the 2000 Sydney Games, a five-time Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Para Games gold medalist, bagging two silver medals in 2022 and two bronzes in 2023. 

Dive Into Your Dreams

Hailing from Davao City, Ernie Agat Gawilan is a Filipino swimmer who survived an attempted abortion, resulting in him lacking both legs and an underdeveloped left limb. 

In 2000, he worked as a housekeeper on Samal Island where he took up swimming. Gawilan was encouraged to move to Manila for a better career opportunity, and with his skills and talent, he became part of the national team in 2008. His first team was the Persons with Disability swimming team, and his first swimming competition was the 2008 Philippine Olympic Festival in Cagayan de Oro.

Gawilan joined tournaments in India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Singapore, and more. Among these tournaments, with powerful strokes, he won at least 15 international medals in 2014. 

In an interview with RAPPLER last 2017, Gawilan shared, "‘Pag nasa tubig ako parang, ‘Ayos ‘to, akin ‘to.’ Parang pangalawang mundo ko iyan, tubig." Gawilan's passion and love for swimming is something that cannot be taken away from him and is something to look up to.

Knock, Knock

From being a shy boy to being the first para-athlete who brought the Philippine Taekwondo to the Paralympic, Allain Ganapin made Taekwondo a huge part in shaping who he is now. From having an amputated arm at birth, Ganapin experienced being bullied because of his disability, but he did not let it hinder him from reaching his dreams.

His Coach, Crisanto Angeles saw his potential in taekwondo. After years of practice, everything eventually turned into a dream come true after he managed to be part of the Philippine team. Two years of being a para-athlete, he won bronze medals at the Oceania Taekwondo in 2017 and in Amman, Jordan at the 2021 Asian Paralympic qualifiers. He also secured a slot in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics and won as the only Filipino competitor.

Para-sports is a tough business, and being a para-athlete is no joke. With so little assistance, it is a demanding endeavor. Our para-athletes deserve the same unwavering support as our national athletes because nothing feels better than representing your country and having its support in the name of a sport that you are passionate about with these abilities.