Asusano revels in Paralympic showing despite narrow medal miss: ‘I feel like I won gold’
MANILA, Philippines – Filipina para javelin thrower Cendy Asusano still felt like a winner despite falling short of a medal in the Paris Paralympics.
Asusano reveled in setting a new personal best as she notched the highest finish out of the six Filipino bets in the Games after placing fourth in the women’s javelin throw F54 at the Stade de France on Saturday, September 7.
Smashing her previous personal best of 14.63 meters set when she also landed fourth in the World Para Athletics Championships in May, Asusano hit 15.05m on her first attempt.
Although her mark was not enough for a podium spot, the Pasig resident beamed with pride for her achievement.
“I feel like I won gold because it was the first time I surpassed 15 meters,” said Asusano in Filipino.
Asusano missed out on the medal as Iran’s Elham Salehi bagged bronze by registering 16.24m, with Uzbekistan’s Nurkhon Kurbanova and Nigeria’s Flora Ugwunwa capturing gold and silver, respectively.
Kurbanova broke her own world record with 21.12m to dethrone former Paralympic champion Ugwunwa, who tallied 19.26m.
“There are other chances. She’ll continue to improve,” said head coach Bernard Ebuen of Asusano.
With her fourth-place finish, Asusano earned the honor of being the Philippines’ flag bearer in the closing ceremony — a task initially given to para swimmer Angel Otom.
Otom showed promise in her Paralympic debut as she reached the finals of her two events, placing fifth in the women’s 50m butterfly S5 and sixth in the women’s 50m backstroke S5.
Saving the best for last, Otom clocked a new personal best of 45.78 seconds in the final of the women’s 50m butterfly on Friday, September 6, as she vied for the bronze before running out of gas.
Two more Filipinos advanced to the final, with wheelchair racer Jerrold Mangliwan and para swimmer Ernie Gawilan staying competitive even as they both saw action in the Paralympics for the third consecutive edition.
Gawilan placed sixth in the men’s 400m freestyle S7, while Mangliwan wound up at eighth in the men’s 400m T52.
Para taekwondo jin Allain Ganapin, who missed the Tokyo Paralympics due to the coronavirus, debuted in the Games in style by beating Refugee Paralympic Team’s Hadi Hassansada in the round of 32 of the men’s -80kg K44.
But Ganapin eventually crashed out of contention after bowing to Azerbaijan’s Abulfaz Aburzali in the round of 16.
The first para archer to represent the Philippines in the Paralympics, Agustina Bantiloc suffered an early exit as she lost to world No. 3 Jane Karla Gogel of Brazil in the 1/16 elimination of the women’s individual compound open.
Paris marked the second straight edition the Philippines ended the Paralympics without a medal as Mangliwan, Gawilan, and para swimmer Gary Bejino also went home empty-handed from Tokyo.
The Philippines last won a medal in 2016 Rio de Janeiro courtesy of late para table tennis player Josephine Medina, who clinched bronze.
Before Medina, the country waited 16 years for a podium finish since para powerlifter Adeline Dumapong nailed the Philippines’ first-ever Paralympic medal with a bronze in 2000 Sydney. – Rappler.com