By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Para swimmers continued to dominate even as para long jumpers also turned heads for Team Philippines at the 2025 Asian Youth Para Games at separate venues here.
Para swimmer Ric Daniel Pasadilla collected his third gold to become the most bemedalled Filipino para athlete so far at the Hamdan Sports Complex, while teammate Mary Hannah Diesto and para long jumpers RJ Brucal and John Reyl Diano also rule their T20 age group divisions at the Dubai Club for People of Determination.
Pasadilla, a 13-year-old student of Pototan National Comprehensive High School in Iloilo, collected his third gold medal after topping the boys 100-meter butterfly S10 with a time of 1 minute and 12.07 seconds to become the most bemedalled Filipino para athlete so far at the Hamdan Sports Complex.
He also bagged the bronze in the 100m backstroke SB9 in 1:22.47, finishing behind eventual gold medalist Dias Mimanov of Uzbekistan (1:22.00) and silver winner Kohei Hosaka of Japan (1:22.32).
His previous victories include gold medals in the 200m individual medley S14 and 100m back S10, and a silver in the 100m free S10.
Diesto, a 14-year-old standout from Talisay, Negros Occidental, also won the girls 12-15 100m fly S14 with 1:40.80 to follow up a string of silver-medal finishes in the 200m free, 400m free and 100m back
Her mother, B Marie Amparo Diesto who spoke on her behalf, expressed gratitude for the people who supported her daughter.
“We only prayed for one medal, any color, just so we could at least bring home one. We’re grateful that she was able to win four medals, including one gold,” said a teary-eyed Amparo of Hannah, who was diagnosed with Global Developmental Delay (GDD).
At the Dubai Club for People of Determination, the Filipinos made a 1-2-3 finish in the men’s U20 long jump T20 courtesy of Diano, Mark Lorence Suarez and Jolly Poquiz.
Diano leapt 5.66 meters on his first attempt to rule the six-player field, with Suarez copping the silver in 5.62m and Poquiz with the bronze in 5.23m
Brucal, meanwhile, reigned supreme in the U17 division of the long jump T20, posting 5.73m on his fifth attempt.
At the Etisalat Academy Sports and Leisure Club, para badminton player John Cyrus Maclang joined forces with Chinese Taipei’s Lin Jia Shang to capture the silver medal doubles SH6 event.
So far, the Filipinos collected seven gold, eight silver and five bronze medals, with more events in para athletics and para table tennis being contested at press time.
