IT’S the moment of truth for Dabawenyo Paralympian swimmer Ernie Gawilan as he begins his title-retention bid in the men's 200-meter individual medley (IM) SM7 in the 4th Asian Para Games at the HOC Aquatic Sports Arena in Hangzhou, China on Monday, October 23.
Having previously claimed the gold medal in the SM7 200m IM during the Jakarta Asian Para Games in 2018, Gawilan acknowledged that he still experiences pre-competition jitters.
In a Facebook interview with VoxPop Davao on Sunday, October 22, the 32-year-old para-swimming champion shared, "Kulba, Ma'am. Always man gyud nang kulba basta competition pero prepared man ko. Medyo bawas-bawas gamay sa kulba (I'm always nervous when it comes to competition, but I'm also prepared. It's a bit less nerve-wracking)."
He is set to defend three gold medals from the 3rd Asian Para Games, which include victories in the men's 100m backstroke S7 and men's 400m freestyle S7.
With prior experience in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympics and the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, Gawilan is well aware of the pressure to maintain his gold-winning streak for Team Philippines.
In preparation for the forthcoming 4th Para Games swimfest, Gawilan disclosed that the para-swimming team remained dedicated to their training regimen after arriving in Hangzhou on October 17. He noted,
"Lapping nalang mi tapos build up 6X100 (We focused on laps and a build-up of 6X100)," he added.
Gawilan also participated in the Para World Championships in Manchester, Great Britain, from July 31 to August 6, 2023, where he secured fourth place in the men's 400m freestyle S7 and seventh place in the men's 100m freestyle S7.
He also brought home two golds, two silvers, and one bronze in the 12th Asean Para Games held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia set in June this year. MLSA
