Dubai: Team Philippines added four more gold medals on Friday as swimmers Ric Daniel Pasadilla and Mary Hannah Diesto, along with long jumpers RJ Brucal and John Reyl Diano, topped their events at the Asian Youth Para Games in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Pasadilla captured his third gold at the Hamdan Sports Complex after winning the boys’ 100m butterfly S10 in 1 minute and 12.07 seconds.
According to Philippines News Agency, the 13-year-old from Pototan National Comprehensive High School in Iloilo also earned a bronze in the 100m backstroke SB9 with a time of 1:22.47, adding to his earlier golds in the 200m individual medley S14 and 100m backstroke S10, as well as a silver in the 100m freestyle S10, making him the delegation’s most decorated athlete so far.
Diesto, 14, won the girls’ 12-15 100m butterfly S14 after clocking 1:40.80. The swimmer from Talisay, Negros Occidental, diagnosed with Global Developmental Delay, has also secured three silver medals in the 200m freestyle, 400m freestyle, and 100m backstroke events.
Over at the Dubai Club for People of Determination stadium, Diano leapt 5.66 meters on his first attempt to dominate the men’s U20 long jump T20 event. Fellow Filipinos Mark Lorence Suarez (5.62m) and Jolly Poquiz (5.23m) were second and third, respectively. In the U17 division, Brucal registered 5.73m on his fifth attempt to win the gold in the T20 event.
Team Philippines now has eight golds, eight silvers, and five bronzes.
