Allain Ganapin

Allain Ganapin
Ganapin at the 2024 Summer Paralympics
Personal information
Full nameAllain Keanu Ganapin
Born (1998-07-07) July 7, 1998 (age 26)
Home townMarikina, Philippines
Sport
Country Philippines
SportPara Taekwondo
Disability classK44
Weight class–80 kg

Allain Keanu Ganapin (born July 7, 1998)[1] is a Filipino taekwondo para-athlete.

Background

A native of Marikina, Ganapin's right arm is amputated up to his elbow due to a congenital disorder. He took up taekwondo as a response against bullying upon the suggestion of his high school best friend who was concerned of his situation. His coach Crisanto Angeles, likewise encouraged him to take up taekwondo. In his early taekwondo career, Ganapin competed against athletes without disabilities.[2][3]

Ganapin has been part of the Philippine national team since 2015.[2] He took part in the 2017 Oceania Para Taekwondo Open in Auckland, New Zealand where he won a bronze medal.[3]

He qualified for the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, Japan, which was postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He joined the Asian Qualification Tournament in Amman, Jordan in May 2021, where he won a bronze in the men's K44 -75 kg division but failed to qualify since only the winner gains a berth to the Paralympics.[4] He later qualified in June 2021 through a bipartite invitation.[5] He is the first Filipino to qualify for taekwondo, a sport which made its debut in Tokyo.[6] As part of his preparation, Ganapin trained with 2020 Summer Olympian Kurt Barbosa.[7] However he was unable to compete because he tested positive for COVID-19.[8]

On March 17, 2024, Ganapin became the country's third representative in the 2024 Summer Paralympics alongside swimmers Ernie Gawilan and Angel Otom. He defeated Sandeep Singh Maan in K44 men's - 80 kg clash at the Asian Qualifying Tournament in China.[9]

He was able to compete in his second Summer Paralympics he qualified for.[10] In Paris, Ganapin won his first bout over Hadi Hassanzada of the Refugee Paralympic Team before ending his Olympic campaign to Abulfaz Abuzarli of Azerbaijan[11]

References

  1. ^ "GANAPIN Allain Keanu". Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Retrieved August 31, 2021.Archived 2021-08-31 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ a b "Taekwondo gave Allain Ganapin self-confidence to achieve dreams". CNN Philippines. August 16, 2021. Archived from the original on August 31, 2021. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Go, Beatrice (August 18, 2021). "Paralympian Allain Ganapin overcomes bullying through taekwondo". Rappler. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
  4. ^ Satumbaga-Villar, Kristel (May 24, 2021). "Allain Ganapin gets bronze but misses Tokyo Olympics spot". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
  5. ^ Reyes, Kate (June 12, 2021). "Taekwondo jin Allain Ganapin qualifies for Tokyo Paralympics". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
  6. ^ Navarro, June (June 9, 2021). "Taekwondo jin Allain Ganapin qualifies for Tokyo Paralympics". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
  7. ^ Li, Matthew (August 19, 2021). "Allain Ganapin trained with Kurt Barbosa for Tokyo prep". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
  8. ^ Bacnis, Justine (September 2, 2021). "Allain Ganapin to miss Paralympics, tests positive for COVID-19". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
  9. ^ Sy Cua, Aric John (March 19, 2024). "Ganapin clinches Paris Paralympic berth". The Manila Times. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
  10. ^ Navarro, June (September 1, 2024). "Ganapin gets door, but not after giving world taekwondo champ fits". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  11. ^ Terrado, Reuben (August 31, 2024). "Allain Ganapin wins one before bowing out of Paralympics TKD". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved September 1, 2024.