THE Philippine para swimming team currently leads the medal tally at the 5th Asian Youth Para Games in Dubai, UAE.
After Day 2, the Filipino youth para swimmers have accumulated an impressive haul of four golds, five silvers, and one bronze — already surpassing their previous medal count of one gold, two silvers, and one bronze at the 2021 edition in Manama, Bahrain.
Highlighting the team’s success is 13-year-old para swimmer Ric Daniel Pasadilla who clinched two gold medals on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025.
Pasadilla triumphed in the boys 12-16 200-meter individual medley S10 event with a time of 2:36.36, outpacing Thailand’s Montri Suwanchairob (3:11.65).
He continued his dominant performance in the boys 12-16 100m backstroke S10, clocking 1:11.39 to finish ahead of Iran’s Zepanta Navidi (1:19.59) and Thailand’s Suwanchairob (1:27.51).
Pasadilla secured a silver in the boys 12-16 100m freestyle S10, clocking 1:06.13, finishing just behind Iran’s Navidi (1:04.32).
Raemond Adefuin also pocketed a pair of golds in the boys 12-16 50m butterfly S6 on Day 1 and in the 200m IM SM6 on Thursday.
The other silver medalists are Mary Hannah Diesto and Zach Lucas Obsioma.
Diesto now holds three silver medals in the S14 girls 12-15 200m and 400m freestyle events, as well as in the 100m backstroke category, while Obsioma finished second in the boys 12-16 400m freestyle S6 event.
Bladimir Gonzales added a bronze in the boys 12-16 400m freestyle S14 event. / SPORTS RADIO 918 AM