RP special athletes off for ASEAN Para Games

The country’s top differently abled athletes leave for Ratchasima, Thailand tomorrow, ready to do battle against the region’s best in various fields in the fourth Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Para Games slated Jan. 20-26.

Powerlifting’s Adeline Dumapong, the chess duo of Sander Severino and Henry Lopez and the table tennis tandem of Josephine Medina and Minnie de Ramos spearhead the 88-man RP contingent out to duplicate, if not surpass, the sixth place, 22-gold medal finish of the nationals in the 2005 Manila edition of the event.

“I think we have a strong chance of taking home 22 gold medals,” RP chief de mission Ral Rosario said.

Rosario, a former champion swimmer who competed in the 1974 Iran and 1978 Japan Asian Games, said he expects the gold medals to come from chess, powerlifting, wheelchair basketball, aquatics and table tennis.

“We’re very optimistic of our chances in chess, powerlifting, swimming and table tennis. We also believe we can win the gold in basketball,” said Rosario.

Mike Barredo, who heads the Philippine Sports Association for the Differently Abled (Philspada), left Monday to attend the executive committee meeting today while RP deputy chief de mission Noel Ascue, who will coach basketball, left a day earlier for the games and liaisons committee meeting Monday.

“Our athletes are ready for battle. They’re in high spirits because of the support we’ve been getting from President Arroyo and the Philippine Sports Commission through chairman Butch Ramirez,” said Barredo.

“Our team is ready and raring to go, their morale is very high,” said Rosario.

Ramirez has sent commissioners Ambrocio de Luna and Eric Loretizo to oversee the country’s campaign.