NAGOYA – Ariel Joseph Alegarbes struck gold in the men’s 100-meter backstroke S14, giving the Philippines its second gold medal at the 5th Asian Para Games at the Rainbow Pool of the Nagoya City General Gymnasium on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026.
Entering the finals with the second-fastest time in the morning heats, the 21-year-old from Victorias City, Negros Occidental, delivered a winning performance in one minute and 1.56 seconds.
Alegarbes, who has been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and dyslexia, edged South Korea’s Kang Sungho, who finished just a fraction of a second behind in 1:01.61.
Thailand’s Natirat Meeprom, who posted the fastest qualifying time in the heats, settled for third in 1:02.08.
Alegarbes’ triumph came a day after Ernie Gawilan won the 400-meter freestyle S7, handing the Philippines its second gold and its third medal overall following Raemond Adefuin’s bronze in the 100-meter breaststroke SB6.
Philippine Paralympic Committee president Mike Barredo said the swimmers’ victories could inspire more Filipino athletes to reach the podium.
“I’m sure others, maybe in track and field and other events that we still have, will see that they have been successful and they will try for it themselves. They will follow that pathway to gold,” Barredo said.
The latest feat kept the Philippines in 14th place in the overall medal tally.
In archery at the Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Multipurpose Square, Marzel Burgos, Augustina Bantiloc, and Jannah Kate Ballesta suffered defeats, as did the mixed team of Bantiloc and Burgos.
Burgos absorbed a 147-142 loss to China’s Ai Xinliang in the men’s compound elimination round. Bantiloc was stopped by another Chinese archer, Zhao Jing, 147-135, in the women’s compound, while and Ballesta fell to South Korea’s Kim Okgeum, 6-5.
Burgos and Bantiloc later teamed up in the mixed compound but absorbed a stinging 148-147 loss to Chinese Taipei’s Lee Yun Hsien and Yang Jyun Kai.
Over at the Izu Velodrome in track cycling, Nikko Peralta and Patrick Lee failed to advance in the 4,000-meter individual pursuit in their respective classes.
Peralta clocked 5:14.411 in the C4 class, while Lee finished in 5:09.605 in C5, but neither time was enough to make the cut. / PR VIA PNA