POCKETING three gold medals for the Philippines two years ago in the 6th ASEAN Para Games in Indonesia is not quite enough for Silay City's Sander Severino.
The FIDE Master woodpusher is flying again to Myanmar for the 7th edition of the Paralympics set January 11 to 21.
Severino has a respectable record in the ASEAN games, winning five gold medals and a silver when he started donning the national colors in 2005 starting with the 3rd ASEAN Para Games in Manila. He added five golds and a silver during the 4th Para Games in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, he snatched two golds in the 5th Para Games in 2009.
Events to be contested in Myanmar are the Rapid and Standard with four gold medals at stake. A total of 24 gold medals for both men and women divisions are up for grabs in categories for the Physically Handicapped, B1 (totally blind), and B2-B3 (partially blind).
Severino thanked Silay City Mayor Jose Montelibano, former Gov. Rafael Coscoplluela of the Negros Occidental Sports and Cultural Foundation, and Samuel Colinco, school president of the Maranatha Christian College for providing him assistance.
The country’s most recognized PWD woodpusher registered the best finish for a Filipino in the 12th Bangkok Chess Club Open 2012 placing 15th overall out of 135 players – just behind reigning woman world champion, 16-year-old GM Hou Yifan of China.
He collected 6.0 points in that nine-round tournament where he drew with defending champion English GM Nigel Short and GM Yifan.