MANILA: Thanks to the performance of table tennis player Josephine Medina in the women’s singles Class 8 division, the Philippines has bagged its first medal at the 2016 Rio Paralympics.
Medina defeated pulled off an 11-5, 11-6, 11-7 victory over 2015 European Para Championships silver medalist Julianne Wolf of Germany to improve her fourth-place finish at the 2012 London Paralympics four years ago, reported InterAksyon.
Reigning champion Mao Jingdian of China pocketed the gold medal after beating Thu Kamkasimphou of France, 11-6, 11-8, 11-2, the report said.
“I have been praying to God that one day the Philippines would win a medal; the last time in London, I came so close I finished in fourth place,” Medina reportedly said in an interview with the International Table Tennis Federation.
“Here the competition has been really tough but as I told you before when I beat Aida Dahlen and qualified for the main draw, for God nothing is impossible! When you play, you must believe and you must give absolutely everything; now the Philippines will not go return home without a medal. Today I did not win for myself, I won for my team, for my country, I won for the Philippines,” she added.
Playing table tennis reportedly served as therapy for Medina, who was a polio victim.
“My father was on the national team. I was sick as I was a polio victim and table tennis is my therapy. I used to compete with able-bodied athletes and qualified for the national team but they told me you cannot be in the national team for the able-bodied as you are disabled. The rejection has become my inspiration and I train hard and I just want to prove that disability is not a hindrance in achieving your goal. It’s just an instrument in reaching success in your life,” said Medina.
Medina, a gold medalist in the 2015 ASEAN Para Games in Singapore, also dedicated her victory to her father, who died of heart attack, while working as coach in Saudi Arabia in 2004.
The Philippines won its first medal in the Paralympics in 2000 when powerlifter Adeline Dumapong bagged the bronze in Sydney, Australia, reported InterAksyon.
