Medina claims bronze in Rio Paralympics

Breaks Philippine 16-yr medal drought

MANILA, Philippines – Filipina Josephine Medina ended a four-year wait for redemption with a bronze medal feat in para table tennis, beating German Julianne Wolf in straight sets, 11-5, 11-6, 11-7, in the 2016 Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Monday.

Saving her best for last in a determined effort to medal in her second Paralympics, Medina disposed of Wolf, the 2015 Euro Para Championships silver medalist in just 25 minutes to hit paydirt in the women’s singles Class 8 this time.

Medina’s bronze for the Herbalife-backed Team Philippines snapped the country’s 16-year medal drought in the quadrennial meet for differently-abled athletes. Powerlifter Adeline Ancheta last delivered a bronze in the 2000 Sydney Paralympics.

“I have been praying to God that one day the Philippines would win a medal. The last time in London I came so close I finished in fourth place,” Medina said in an interview on the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) website.

“The competition has been really tough but when I…qualified for the main draw, for God nothing is impossible!” she added.

With her feat, Medina stands to get P1-million as incentive from the government per 10699 or the Sports Incentives law.

The 46-year-old Medina reached the medal rounds after beating Norwegian Aida Husic Dahlen in five sets, 3-2, in a Group B matchup that determined the second semifinalist.

However, she fell in the semis to Chinese Mao Jingdian, who went on to win the gold over France’s Thu Kamkasonphou, 11-6, 11-8, 11-3.

Medina didn’t waste her chance to salvage a bronze.

“When you play you must believe and you must give absolutely everything; now the Philippines will not return home without a medal,” Medina was quoted by the ITFF. “Today I did not win for myself I won for my team, for my country, I won for the Philippines!”

A polio victim, Medina used table tennis as therapy and realized she was good at it. Like every disabled person, she has to deal with rejections.

“I used to compete with able-bodied athletes and qualified for the national team but they told me you cannot be in the national team for the able-bodied as you are disabled,” she recalled.

“The rejection has become my inspiration and I train hard and I just want to prove that disability is not a hindrance in achieving your goal. It’s just an instrument in reaching success in your life,” she said.