Angel Otom added two more gold medals to her haul as she bannered the Philippines on the third day of the 13th ASEAN Para Games at the 80th Birthday Aquatics Center on Friday.
The 22-year-old broke the women’s 100-meter backstroke S4–S5 record after clocking 1:43.87, securing her third gold medal in the regional meet for athletes with disabilities. The Philippine delegation is backed by the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Paralympic Committee.
Otom’s time shattered the 18-year-old mark of 2:33.66 set by local bet Junkum Thatananatch during the 2008 Nakhon Ratchasima Para Games.
The University of the Philippines student later claimed another gold medal in the women’s 200-meter freestyle S5 event with a time of 3:44.49.
Otom said she has drawn lessons from the pain of her debut at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, using those experiences to fuel her recent performances.
She reached the finals of the women’s 50-meter backstroke S5 and 50-meter butterfly S5 events in Paris but placed sixth and fifth, respectively.
“From Paris, ang dami kong naging disappointments and na-open ko ‘yun sa lahat. From now on, naging lesson talaga sa akin ‘yun and and lesson na nakuha ko is to fight,” said Otom, who now has four gold medals and one silver medal in the meet.
“May mga times na kahit sa cold room, hindi mo kakayanin yan pero kailangan mo magtiwala. Minsan, mahirap siyang i-apply sa sarili pero dapat pagkatiwalaan natin sarili natin.”
Otom looks to cap her campaign on a high note as she competes in the women’s 50-meter freestyle S4–S5 and the mixed 4×50-meter medley relay 20 points S1–S10 events on Saturday.
Meanwhile, veteran swimmer Ernie Gawilan settled for a silver medal in the men’s 100-meter freestyle S7 after clocking 1:09.32.
In athletics, King James Reyes dominated the men’s 1500-meter T46 event, timing 4:17.93 on Thursday at the 80th Birthday Stadium.
Cyril Ongcoy also impressed in his ASEAN Para Games debut, ruling the men’s 1500-meter T12 event in a meet-record 4:26.32. He erased the previous mark of 4:47.25 set by Domingos Pereira Lobato of Timor-Leste in the 11th ASEAN Para Games in Solo, Indonesia.
Alyana Nuñez likewise enjoyed a golden debut after topping the women’s discus throw F11 with a distance of 25.24 meters.
