SINGAPORE World Para Swimming Series 2019 champion Ernie Gawilan competed unopposed to win the S7 100-meter freestyle and 50-meter butterfly gold medals as Davao City collected a total of 14 golds, 17 silvers and eight bronzes in the 7th Philspada National Paralympics in Bulacan after two days of action.
He already expected the golds, saying, "Wala gud entry sa category sa akoa gi sabay ra ko sa ubang class (There are no other entries in my category, they just let me join the other clases)."
The Rio Paralympian will next see action in the 100m backstroke event. "Trial napud nako ni para sa London World Championship para makita pud namo kung asa nami (This will test where I am now in my preparation for the London World Championships)," he told SunStar Davao in a Facebook interview.
The World Championships, according to him, serves as qualifying for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
He said, "Target namo Ma'am nga mas mo-improve pa akong last nga mga time (We target to improve our time)."
The table tennis team contributed six golds, seven silvers and one bronze while the athletics team hauled five golds, nine silvers and six bronzes.
Shuttler Johnlo Respicio clinched a badminton singles gold while archer Marzel Burgos added a gold. Chessers Elmar Olivar and Aldrin Paña (men) and Evangeline Gamao (women) pocketed bronzes. (With reports from Seth delos Reyes and SDS-CMO)