Para swimmer Otom ambivalent about Paralympic Games debut stint

PARIS – Para swimmer Angel Mae Otom had ambivalent feelings about her debut in the 17th Paris Paralympic Games Tuesday at the La Defense Arena pool here.

While grateful that she was competing against the world’s best, Otom felt discontented about her form, believing that she could have done better than her sixth place finish in the women’s 50-meter backstroke S5 finals with a time of 44 seconds flat in the evening (early morning Wednesday).

“Masaya akong nandito pero sayang, sayang. Pangit yung last 15 meters ko. Pinilit ko lang matapos maski sa sakit na naramdaman ko,” added the armless swimmer, who had kept pace early with the vaunted Chinese troika, led by defending champion Lu Dong.

Living up to her top billing, Lu led all the way in clinching her second straight gold in the event with 37.51 seconds while compatriots He Shenggao (39.93) and Liu Yu (42.37) took the bronze, respectively.

“Hindi ako masaya sa langoy ko. Hopefully next game alam ko na yung areas to improve,” said Otom, who was once ranked No. 2 in the event and seemed poised for a podium finish only to fade in the homestretch.

“Medyo marami pa kaming dapat i-work on. Although her training is okay, she needs to be comfortable in those things to make her better more consistently,” deputy para swimming coach Brian Ong noted.

“Pero hindi ito ang kanyang huling laban. Bata pa si Angel. We are looking forward to her outing in the women’s 50-meter butterfly on Friday,” the coach said. “We are still proud of her performance. This was a good learning experience for her.”

Indeed, Otom, whose trip like the rest of the PH para contingent is backed by the Philippine Sports Commission, quickly shrugged off her disappointment and was back to her bubbly self in no time. “Madami pang laro, may worlds pa, may Paralympics pa. muli,” she quipped.

Angel Mae Otom during the Heat 2 of Women's 50m Backstroke S5 of the 17th Paralympic Games in Paris.