Swimmer Gary Bejino to open Philippines bid at Paralympics

MANILA, Philippines — Gary Bejino will be the first Philippine paralympian to see action at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics that unfurled Tuesday.

Bejino, one of two para swimmers for the Philippines, will compete in his first event on Thursday, August 26.

The heats for the 200-meter individual medley for SM6 competitors will unfurl at 9:24 a.m., Japan time (8:24 a.m., Manila time).

If Bejino qualifies for the Final, he compets again in the afternoon at 5:22 p.m., Japan time (4:22 p.m. in Manila).

He also competes in three more events, the 50-meter butterfly, the 400-meter freestyle, and the 100-meter backstroke set later in the Games.

On Friday, August 27, Bejino's fellow para swimmer Ernie Gawilan will begin his quest in Tokyo.

His first event will be the 200-meter individual medley.

Heats for the SM7 classification are set at 10:19 a.m. in Japan (9:19 a.m., Manila). The Final is set later that day.

Gawilan will also be competing in the 400-meter freestyle and 100-meter backstroke events in the S7 classification.

Also set to see action before the weekend is men's wheelchair racer Jerrold Mangliwan.

He will begin his three-event stint in Tokyo with the 400-meter event on Friday.

Only five Paralympians will be seeing action for Team Philippines in the Tokyo Paralympics after powerlifter Achele Guinon caught COVID-19 and was thus ruled out of competition.