Allain Ganapin advances to Round of 16 at Paralympics

National para taekwondo athlete Allain Ganapin secured a victory over Hadi Hassanzada of the Refugee Paralympic Team on Saturday, August 31, at the 17th Paralympic Games in Paris, France.

Ganapin won with a score of 22-13 and advanced to the Round of 16, where he faced Abulfaz Abuzarli of Azerbaijan.

In his match against Hassanzada, Ganapin turned the tide early in the second round with a turning kick that gave him a two-point lead, which he maintained until the end.

Ganapin, who missed his debut due to COVID-19 at the Tokyo Games and was disqualified from last year's Asian Para Games, fought valiantly but lost 12-9 in the Round of 16 to Abuzarli.

Coach Gershon Bautista and fellow para taekwondo coach August dela Cruz continue to support Ganapin as he competes in Paris, focusing on both technique and recovery between matches.