By Jean Malanum

BEST BET. Para swimmer Ernie Gawilan, who had competed at the 2020 Tokyo and 2024 Paris Paralympics, will banner the Philippine campaign at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore next month. Joining him are Angel Mae Otom, a triple-gold medalist at the 2022 ASEAN Para Games, and Marco Tinamisan. (Contributed photo)

MANILA – Two-time Asian Para Games champion Ernie Gawilan, Angel Mae Otom and Marco Tinamisan have qualified for the World Aquatic Championships on Sept. 16 to 27 in Singapore.

The three earned slots during the World Para Swimming (WPS) World Series in Fuji, Japan last month.

Gawilan, who competed at the Tokyo (2020) and Paris (2024) Paralympics, qualified in the S7 men’s 400m freestyle and SM7 200m Individual Medley events.

Otom, a triple gold medalist at the 2022 ASEAN Para Games, met the qualifying times in the women’s 50m freestyle, backstroke, and butterfly, while Marco Tinamisan, who hails from Quezon, qualified in the S3/SB3/SM3 men’s 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle events.

Ariel Joseph Alegarbes (S14), another triple-gold winner at the 2022 ASEAN Para Games, and Gary Bejino (S6) will try to qualify through the bipartite system.

“This is part of their journey going to the 2028 Paralympic Games in LA. I always tell them, ‘Let’s continue to work hard and support each other to achieve our goal’,” said head coach Tony Ong in an interview Thursday.

The national athletes are also preparing for next year’s ASEAN Para Games in Thailand and Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. (PNA)