NAGOYA—With modest expectations and hopeful hearts, Team Philippines braces for tougher challenges in the super-strong field of the 5th Asian Para Games, which opened Sunday night under the bright lights of the Paloma Mizuho Sports Park in this beautiful Pacific-facing city.

Around 5,000 Japanese and foreign guests, athletes, coaches, sports officials, and media attended the festivities, which gave spectators a piece of Japanese history that officially ushered in this eight-day event that will have 45 countries, including the 69-strong Philippine side, battling for glory in 18 sports disciplines.

Athletes from the Philippines, headed by flag-bearers Lhey Manginsay of table tennis and Allain Ganapin of taekwondo, along with chef-de-mission Francis Diaz and deputy CDM Judd Anastacio, joined the parade in Filipiniana attire and proudly marched with joy and optimism for a better tomorrow.

Maginsay came into the inaugurals riding the crest of an 11-9, 12-10, 11-1 victory over Tajikistan’s Nadima Nurbekova in the women’s singles class 9 in table tennis at the Sky Hall Toyota the day before.

Whatever happens, Manginsay will make the quarterfinals since there are only eight participants in her category.

But, of course, that triumph should be vital for the 22-year-old Zamboanga Sibugay native not only for her confidence but also to help her avoid stronger and higher-seeded opponents in the round of eight.

It also eases the pain of a 9-11, 10-12, 1-11 defeat to three-time Paralympic gold medalist Mao Jingdian of China last Friday.

Also providing a ray of light in the same discipline was Smith Billy Cartera, who trounced Mongolian Myagmartsogt Purevdorj, 11-4, 11-2, 11-1, to advance to the round of 16 in the men’s singles Class 4-5.

Cartera, who lost to World No. 5 Zhengyang Peng of China in his first outing, seeks a quarterfinal seat against Thai Norakan Chanphaka Monday.

Over in medal-rich swimming at the Rainbow Pool of the Nagoya City General Gymnasium, battle-scarred Ernie Gawilan spearheads the Philippine team, eyeing not just a podium finish but the one that shines the brightest—the gold.

“Sana magawa natin ulit. Kapalaran na ang magsasabi bukas,” said the 35-year-old Gawilan, who is hoping to replicate, if not eclipse, the one-gold, one-bronze effort in the last edition in Hangzhou, China three years ago.

Another tanker to watch is wonder girl Angel Otom, a triple-gold winner in last year’s ASEAN Para Games in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.

More than the medals, the Philippine cycling team of Arthus Bucay, Patrick Lee and Nikko Peralta will be eyeing qualifying points to the 2028 LA Paralympics when cycling action unfurls at the Izu Velodrome and Japan Cycle Sports Center in Izu, Shizuoka Prefecture on Monday.

“Sa medal wala kami expectation sa event sa track, sa road race kami focused bukas at Tuesday for the purpose of points for Paralympics,” said national cycling team coach Norberto Oconer, who represented the country in the 1988 Seoul and 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

The 45-year-old Bucay, a 2012 Paralympian and a 2018 Asian Games gold and bronze medalist, is racing in the 1km individual time trial track and road race while 21-year-old Lee, who copped a bronze in the Asian Para Track Championship last March in Tagaytay, is seeing action in the 1km ITT and individual pursuit track and 15km ITT and 65km road race.

“Si Arthus at Patrick Lee,” said Oconer when asked who are the best cyclist at a gold or a medal,

As for Peralta, he will battle in the 4 km pursuit road race and ITT road, hoping and praying to pull a surprise or two.

“We’re praying for a podium finish for any colors from our lifters, syempre. They will definitely do their utmost best, we’ll see,” said Philippine para powerlifting coach Adeline Dumapong.

The squad will be represented by Rico Canlas and Allan Paje at the event set at the Nagoya City Trade and Industry Center.