John Franklin Kennedy Caacbay

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Courtesy: APG2025 Media Pool 

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17690766787075e386f1f-6e69-46f3-9481-575cd151f7b0.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Courtesy: APG2025 Media Pool </div>MANILA -- Ernie Gawilan broke an 18-year ASEAN Para Games record as he won his second gold medal at the 80th Birthday Aquatics Center in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand on Thursday.Gawilan, a three-time Paralympian, clocked two minutes and 26.08 seconds in the men’s 200-meter freestyle S7 event to secure the triumph.The 35-year-old tanker erased the previous record of 2:52.11 set by home bet Sittichai Somyut back in the 2008 Nakhon Ratchasima Para Games.For Gawilan, he is driven by two things in this campaign: making it to the podium of the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics and being a father his soon-to-be-born daughter will be proud of.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/1/21/bejino-winner-of-ph-s-first-gold-in-13th-asean-para-games-dedicates-triumph-to-son-1820">READ: Bejino, winner of PH&#x27;s first gold in 13th ASEAN Para Games, dedicates triumph to son </a></div>“Sana, ipagmalaki niya sa mga kaibigan niya balang araw Sana maging atleta rin siya, swimmer din,” Gawilan said. “Pinapangarap natin yung medalya. Ginawa ko naman ang lahat at sana maabot natin yun balang araw.Meanwhile, Gary Bejino, who won the country’s first gold medal last Wednesday, followed it up with another gold medal in the men’s 200-meter freestyle S6 after clocking in two minutes and 37 seconds and eclipsed his previous record of 2:38.55 in Phnom Penh.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/1/20/216-strong-ph-delegation-all-set-for-13th-asean-para-games-1802">READ: 216-strong PH delegation all set for 13th ASEAN Para Games</a></div>“200m event naman siya so kailangan mo i-distribute ang lakas mo, Sa training kasi, inaaral na pacing, lalo na sa distance kasi kapag naubos ka, mahirap na bumalik,” said Bejino, who also grabbed a silver medal last Wednesday in the mixed 4x50 freestyle relay 20 points S1-S10 event with Angel Mae Otom, Marco Tinamisan and Bea Roble.“Sa Para Games, sana madagdagan pa mga gold na makuha ko ngayon.”The 30-year-old Tokyo Paralympics swimmer added a silver medal in his tally after finishing the men’s 50m freestyle S6 event in 34.38 seconds.More swimmers joined the gold rush with Angel Otom clinching her second gold medal as she ruled the women’s 100 m freestyle S4-S5 event with a time of 1:41.44 while Ariel Joseph Alegarbes dominated the men&#x27;s backstroke 100m S14 with 1.02.52.Last Wednesday, Rodrigo Podiotan Jr. ruled the men’s 400m T52 event with 1.01.06 and erased the previous record of 1:01.93 set by Jerrold Mangliwan, who settled for a silver medal in the same event with 1:01.41.Palarong Pambansa standout Jan Jayro Palermo took home his first gold medal in the ASEAN Para Games after tallying 6.89m in the F20 men’s long jump event.

Ernie Gawilan broke an 18-year ASEAN Para Games record as he won his second gold medal at the 80th Birthday Aquatics Center in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand on Thursday.

Ernie Gawilan broke an 18-year ASEAN Para Games record as he won his second gold medal at the 80th Birthday Aquatics Center in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand on Thursday.

Ernie Gawilan clinches second gold at 13th ASEAN Para Games

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Ernie Gawilan clinches second gold at 13th ASEAN Para Games

ABS-CBN News

Published January 22, 2026 06:54 PM PHT

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Updated January 23, 2026 02:04 PM PHT

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swimming

ASEAN Para Games

Ernie Gawilan

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