Philippine Sports News and Updates

Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer Neneth Pador said these athletes deserve recognition for giving honor not only to the province but to the country.

Two Ilonggo athletes joined the Philippine delegation to the ASEAN Para Games held in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand last January 17 to 27. They are May Rose Devaras and Anne Grace Abeto.

Polio-victim Mary Rose Devaras won gold and bronze medals in swimming while visually-impaired Anne Grace Abeto won two bronze medals in track and field.

"Despite their disabilities Mary Rose and Anne Grace strove to excel and this should serve as an inspiration not only to the rest of our Persons with Disabilities but also to abled ones", said Pador.

The date of the conferment of the recognition is yet to be decided but this will be held during the flag ceremony of the provincial employees.

The ASEAN Para Games is a biannual multi-sports event held after every Southeast Asian Games for athletes with physical disabilities from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The games are hosted by the same country where the SEA Games take place.

This year, the Philippine delegation was composed of 25 team officials and 87 athletes who are wheelchair-bound, blind, amputee, intellectually disabled and abled ones. These participants have a dinner with President Arroyo at Malacanang's Heroes Hall before going to Thailand.

Some 14 sports have been contested in the 4th Para ASEAN Para Games such as archery, athletics, aquatics, badminton, boccia, chess, fencing, goalball, judo, power lifting, shooting, swimming, table tennis, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair tennis.