2 more Filipinos punch tickets to Paris Paralympics

Jerrold Mangliwan FACEBOOK PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Two more athletics hopefuls punched their tickets to the upcoming Paralympic Games, which are set to take place in Paris, France later this year.

The Philippine Sports Commission on Friday announced that Asian Para Games gold medal wheelchair racer Jerrold Mangliwan and javelin thrower Cendy Asusano have qualified for the Games.

Mangliwan confirmed on Facebook that this is his third Paralympic Games appearance.

"Finally it's official I'm going to Paris!!! It's my 3rd [Paralympic Games], Thank you God sa lakas at biyaya, para sa inang Bayan," he wrote.

The wheelchair racer took part in the Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo Paralympic Games, and won gold at last year's Asian Para Games in Hangzhou.

Meanwhile, Asusano, who won gold for the Philippines in last year's Asean Para Games in Cambodia, punched her ticket after finishing fourth in the Women's Javelin Throw F54 of the World Para Athletics Championships in Kobe, Japan last May.

The new additions brought up the Philippine Paralympic delegation to Paris to six para-athletes, as they join swimmers Ernie Gawilan and Angel Otom, archer Agustina Bantiloc, and taekwondo jin Allain Ganapin.