PARIS – Veteran para swimmer Ernie Gawilan led from start to finish to dominate the second heat with a time of 5:00.13 and to secure his spot in the men’s 400-meter freestyle S7 finals in the 17th Paralympic Games at the La Defense Arena here Monday, Sept. 2, 2024.
As Tropical Storm Enteng lashed through Luzon, Gawilan stormed through the heat to finish third overall among the eight qualifiers behind American topnotcher Austin Evan (4:56.48), who came from behind to relegate Neutral Paralympic Athlete Alekseei Ganiuk to second (4:56.68) in Heat 1.
“Hindi ko po binuhos lahat, mga 90 percent lang para maganda yung makuha ng magandang lane sa finals (I didn’t give everything, only about 90 percent so that I could get a good lane in the finals),” Gawilan said in making his second straight finals appearance in the event. He finished sixth in the Tokyo edition in 2021.
“Mas kundisyon po ako ngayon, Kailangan maghanda mamaya sa finals (I am in good condition now. I need to prepare for the finals later),” added the 33-year-old Davao City native, who has a personal best of 4:54.24 in the event when he made his Paralympic Games debut in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2016.
Born with underdeveloped extremities, sporting one normal arm and having no legs, Gawilan could not help but noticed the difference between himself and his opponents in a third straight stint in the sportsfest supported by the Philippine Sports Commission.
“Parang ako lang yung may kapansanan (It looks like I am the only one who has a disability),” quipped the athlete with a smile at the post-swimming interview before heading to the locker room.His performance was a great comeback after bowing out early in the men’s 200-meter individual medley SM7 event over the weekend.
Gawilan was the fastest from the get-go, completing the first 50 meters in 35.47 seconds, slowed down slightly at the halfway point, before gaining his second wind to finish strongly and way ahead of the pack. / PNA from PR