Philippine athletes wearing Banaca, Mangyan fabrics to Paris Paralympics opening ceremony
MANILA, Philippines — In just several days, Paralympians will take over Paris for the 2024 Paralympic Games, including six athletes from the Philippines.
The six Filipino Paralympians competing in Paris are track competitor Jerrold Mangliwan, taekwondoin Allain Ganapin, archer Agustina Bantiloc, javelin thrower Cendy Asusano, and swimmers Ernie Gawilan and Angel Otom.
Gawilan and Mangliwan are appearing at their third Paralympics, while Ganapin will technically make his Games debut with the rest as he withdrew from Tokyo in 2021 due to COVID-19.
This is the second-biggest Philippine Paralympic contingent ever after the nine athletes that competed in London 2012.
The 2024 Paris Paralympics will officially kick off on August 28 (29th in the Philippines), like the Olympics with an opening ceremony.
The Filipino athletes will be wearing outfits designed by Ditta Sandico and assisted by Janinna Santos.
Asusano, Bantiloc, and Otom will wear wraps inspired by the Philippine flag — red and blue meeting in the middle, and an eight-ray sun on the right breast — made from locally handwoven sustainable Banaca fabric, a blend of banana and abaca fibers.
Ganapin, Gawilan, and Mangliwan will don black jackets made from one-of-a-kind handwoven and hand-embroidered fabrics by individuals in the Mangyan tribes, with no two jackets sharing the same embroidery pattern.
"Truly a fusion of cultures and creativity," Sandico said of her designs in an Instagram post.
The Philippines have won two bronze medals at the Paralympics since first joining in 1988. Weightlifter Adeline Dumapong won the first in Sydney 2000 and table tennis player Josephine Medina won the second in Rio 2016.
The 2024 Paris Paralympics will run until September 8 (the 9th in the Philippines).
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