PARIS — Although she might be a longshot, wheelchair thrower Cendy Asusano vowed to give her 100 percent effort when she makes her Paralympic Games debut in the women’s javelin throw F54 event Saturday at the La Stade de France here.
“Siyempre malaking karangalan na mapili sa Paralympics kaya ibibigay ko po yung aking 100 percent sa labang ito,” said Asusano, who will see action in the finals of the event starting at 10:04 a.m. (4:04 p.m. in Manila).
“May konti din pong kaba kaya gusto ko maging kundisyon kaya pagdating ng laban ay maging maganda ang kinalabasan ng performance,” added the 2023 Cambodia ASEAN Para Games double gold medalist in her maiden stint in the meet supported by the Philippine Sports Commission.
A native of Donsol, Sorsogon, famous for its periodic “butanding” or whale shark sightings, Asusano qualified for her first Paralympic Games by throwing 14.23 meters, placing fourth in the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Para Games.
Now a Pasig resident and supported by Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto, the comely thrower improved her personal best to 14.63 meters, also good for fourth spot, in the world para championships in Kobe, Japan last May.
“Kung ma-exceed ko yung previous personal best sa Japan at maka-hit ng 15 meters masaya na ako,” Asusano said.
“Cendy is under no pressure from us in her first Paralympic Games. If she exceeds her previous personal best we will be satisfied,” national para head coach Joel Deriada said.
The top pick in the event is reigning world para athletics champion Nurkhon Kurbanova of Uzbekistan, ruling the event with a world mark throw of 20.73 meters that relegated Paralympic Games defending champion Flora Ugwunwa of Nigeria to silver (19.07). Iran’s Elham Salehi took bronze (16.10).
These three athletes are expected to battle for podium honors but expect Asusano to go down fighting as the last Filipino athlete to compete in the 17th Paris Paralympic Games. PR