RP vies in Para Games

MANILA, Philippines - A lean but fighting Philippine contingent will don the country’s color in next month’s fifth ASEAN Para Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Although the number of athletes and officials for the Aug. 12-20 meet is down by half from the one that went to Nakhonratchasima, Thailand in 2007 for the fourth edition of the biennial meet, team executives remain optimistic that it can surpass the fifth place finish achieved by the Filipinos two years ago.

Behind 116 athletes and officials, the country bagged a total of 17 gold medals in Thailand.

Now, 65 athletes and 20 officials competing in nine events will try to surpass that feat.

“It’s a lean and mean team. We hope to maintain that fifth place finish or probably, better than that,” said Philippine Sports Association for the Differently Abled (PHILSPADA) president Mike Barredo at the PSA Forum yesterday at the Shakey’s UN Avenue branch.