Swimmer Otom sets eyes on Paralympics gold

MANILA – Filipino Angel Mae Otom is eyeing no less than a gold medal in the women's 50-meter backstroke S5 event of the Paris Paralympics at La Defense Arena.

The first heat is set Tuesday at 10:26 a.m. (4:26 p.m., PH time).

"I'm going for the gold. If you can dream, why not the gold," Otom said in a recent interview.

The Olongapo City native will be swimming in Lane 5, between Chinese world No. 2 He Shenggao and Liu Yu.

Tokyo Paralympics champion Lu Dong, who holds the world and Paralympic record of 37.18 seconds, is the favorite in the second heat.

The top eight qualifiers will advance to the finals at 6:34 p.m. (12:34 a.m. Wednesday, PH time).

"I am very much prepared. I've been training with coach Tony (Ong) since February," Otom, who won four golds at the Cambodia Asean Para Games last year, said.

Ong said Otom and fellow swimmer Ernie Gawilan skipped the delegation's courtesy call at the Philippine Embassy over the weekend to focus on their training.

"Angel is doing good. I am happy with her progress," Ong said on Monday. "She had a long swim of 3,000 meters to regain her muscles."

Otom, a third-year irregular student at the University of the Philippines-Diliman College of Human Kinetics, is currently world No. 5 in the para swimming 50m. Her personal best is 44.72s. (PNA)