Gawilan bags Philippines’ first gold at 2026 Asian Para Games

GOLDEN. Ernie Gawilan celebrates after winning a para swimming gold at the 2026 Asian Para Games in Nagoya, Japan.

PSC MEDIA POOL

Veteran para swimmer Ernie Gawilan delivers for the Philippines anew, winning the country’s first gold at the 2026 Asian Para Games in Japan

AT A GLANCE

• Filipino para swimmer Ernie Gawilan won the Philippines' first gold medal at the 5th Asian Para Games in the men's 400-meter freestyle S7 event.
• Gawilan's victory, with a time of 4:56.72, marks his third consecutive gold in this event and qualifies him for the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics.
• Other Filipino athletes faced challenges, with several exiting early in their respective events, including judo and table tennis.

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NAGOYA, Japan – Filipino para swimmer Ernie Gawilan captured the Philippines’ first gold medal after ruling the men’s 400-meter freestyle S7 of the 5th Asian Para Games on Monday, October 19, at the at the Rainbow Pool of the Nagoya City General Gymnasium.

The 35-year-old Davao City native, who has underdeveloped extremities, topped the event in 4 minutes and 56.72 seconds. 

Gawilan overcame a fierce challenge from China’s youthful Zhang Yilong (silver, 5:01.36 minutes) and a familiar foe in Singapore’s Toh Wei Soong (bronze, 5:24.23 minutes). 

It was Gawilan’s third straight gold in the event and fifth overall, following his three-gold haul at the 2018 edition in Jakarta, and his gold conquest in Hangzhou, China in 2023.

His clocking also secured him a spot at the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics, according to national para swimming coach Tony Ong.

“He’s already qualified in the 2028 LA Olympics because of his time,” Ong said.

In the morning preliminaries, Edwin Villanueva finished 10th and last in the men’s 400-meter freestyle S8 in 6:22.33, while Muhaimin Ulag placed 12th and last in the men’s 200-meter individual medley SM9 in 3:04.30.

Over at the Izu Velodrome, Patrick Lee and Arthus Bucay finished 12th and 14th in track cycling’s 1,000-meter time trial, clocking 1:14.888 and 1:19.496, respectively.

National cycling coach Norberto October had earlier said they did not expect a medal on the track but vowed to bounce back in the road race, where they stood a better chance of a podium finish, possibly a gold.

In judo at the Aichi Prefectural Martial Arts Hall, Edmond Montecillo fell to Uzbekistan’s Ibrokhimjon Akbarov by ippon in the men’s J1 -70kg round of 16.

The defeat left Al Jaed Pacheco as the last Filipino judoka standing. He will battle Iran’s Mahdi Borchlou in the men’s J1 -81kg division on Tuesday, October 20.

The country’s table tennis bets also fell like dominoes, with Lhey Manginsay and Billy Cartera bowing out of singles contention at Sky Hall Toyota.

Manginsay lost to the more experienced Kim Kun-Hea of South Korea, 3-11, 3-11, 2-11, in women’s singles Class 9, while Cartera absorbed a 4-11, 3-11, 3-11 defeat against Thailand’s Norakan Chanphaka in men’s singles Class 4-5.

Johna Pena suffered a 9-11, 6-11, 3-11 loss to South Korea’s Kim Seongok in women’s singles Class 7, while Noriko Batuhan succumbed to China’s Huang Zhirui, 5-11, 11-6, 3-11, 1-11, in women’s singles Class 3. – Rappler.com