PHNOM PENH — Team Philippines struck on various fronts in a golden rampage yesterday in the 12th Asean Para Games here.
Swimmer Gary Bejino opened things up by delivering the country’s first mint with a record-bashing performance in the men’s 400-meter freestyle to the delight of the small but loud group of Filipinos including Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richard Bachmann and commissioner and chef-de-mission Walter Torres at the Morodok Aquatics Center.
The 27-year-old Bejino’s time was five minutes and 38.26 seconds, which destroyed the old record of 6:07.99 set by Myanmar’s Aung Myint Myat, the eventual silver medalist, six years ago in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Minutes later, Ernie Gawilan also hit gold in the 400m freestyle S7 where he timed in 4:58.78.
Nearby at the training field of the Morodok National Stadium, Cendy Asusano was unshakeable in her favorite shot put F54 event, taking top honors with 5.77m.
In powerlifting at the National Paralympic Committee Hall, Marydol Pamati-an came through with a tour de force performance in copping the women’s 41kg gold in total and the silver in best lift.
It could have been two mints but she lost to Indonesia’s Eneng Paridah via head to head after the two finished in the best lift with 75kg apiece.
Team Philippines ended with a total haul of eight gold medals in the day as Angel Otom ruled the 50m backstroke S5 while Darry Bernardo copped the men’s individual B2B3 rapid and the team crown with Menandro Redor and Israel Peligro, and Cheyzer Mendoza reigned in women’s rapid chess.
Achelle Guion, a Paralympic vet, contributed a couple of silver in the women’s 45kg section in powerlifting.
The 33-year-old Asusano, from Oranbo, Pasig, bested Vietnamese Nguyen Thi Ngoc Thuy and another Filipino Marites Burce, who settled for the silver and bronze with 5.48m and 4.84m, respectively.
Asusano will also see action in javelin today and discus throw Wednesday.
“Confident ako kasi maganda performance ko sa training,” said Asusano, who had three golds in 2017 in Kuala Lumpur and two last year.
Also chipping in a bronze each in centerpiece track were Jesebel Tardecilla (shotput F55) and Ma. Ravinia Carpena (shot put F20).