AT LEAST 15 of Baguio City’s top Persons with Disability athletes will vie for podium finishes in the upcoming 2016 Philippine Sports Association for the Differently Abled (Philspada)-National Finals in Manila this coming March 28 to April 2.
The Summer Capital’s PWD entries will be competing against hundreds of Para Gamers from all over the country in the different sports tapped during the five-day sports event.
City sports development officer Gaudencio Gonzales said the city has allotted 15 slots for the PWD athletes representing their respective sport events.
Gonzales said all of the qualifying PWD’s who competed during the Philspada Luzon Leg in July 2015 will be represent Baguio to try their luck to join the Philippine contingent in the 2017 Asean Para Games.
Gonzales added Baguio delegates may reach 30 as the PWD’s will also have their chaperones, coaches, and personal aids particularly those who will be playing in the wheel chaired sport categories.
He added all qualified city representatives have been earlier notified to make their necessary preparations in each of the events they will be playing.
The 2016 Philspada National Finals will serve as try out for the country’s representative to the upcoming 9th ASEAN Para Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
In July of 2015, the Summer Capital’s Philspada entries completed their rally with nine gold, one silver, and three bronze medals all coming from the athletics event of the competition backed by the Philippine Olympic Committee, the Philippine Sports Commission, and the Philippines Sports Association for the Differently abled.
Included in the tentative list of Baguio PWD athletes are Jaime Manginga, Agustina Bantiloc, Allan Campos, Romeo Tayawa, Daniel Padilan, Giovanni Ola, and John Timon.
According to the City Sports Office, the final list of delegations will be released later this month. (MVP)