Para swimmer Ernie Gawilan during the Allianz PNB Life and Philippine Sports Commission send off for the 2024 Paris Olympics at Makati Diamond Residences on June 20, 2024. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

MANILA -- Para swimmer Ernie Gawilan vows to give his all in his farewell event in the 17th Paralympic Games in Paris, France.

Gawilan missed the medal race of the men’s 200-meter individual medley SM7 and he intends to atone for that lost opportunity in the 400m freestyle S7 race on Monday at the Paris La Defense Arena.

He is Asia's best in that event, having won the gold medal in the 2018 Asian Para Games in Jakarta and in the 2022 edition in Hangzhou, China.

"Maayos ang pakiramdam ko. Bigay todo na ako dito," said Gawilan, who lacked both legs since birth along with an underdeveloped left arm.

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He reached the wall sixth in his heat during the 200m IM preliminaries, missing the chance for a medal.

Gawilan, a four-time Asian Para Games gold medalist, has been bunched with Argentina’s Inaki Basiloff, Ukraine’s Andrii Trusov, Cuba’s Yosjaniel Hernandez Velez and Yurii Shenhur, another Ukranian, in the 400m freestyle.

Basiloff nosed out Trusov for the gold medal in their 200m IM encounter over the weekend.

Para swimming coach Tony Ong said he expected Gawilan to qualify to the 200m IM final but faced problems during the breaststroke sequence of the event and didn’t force his way.

"Anyway, we tried to use this event as part of the tuneup for his favorite event, the 400m free on Monday," Ong said.

Should Gawilan get through the heats, the medal race for the 400m free is set early Tuesday morning.

The Philippines have three more athletes set to see action in the games: para swimmer Angel Mae Otom in the 50m backstroke S5 and the 50m butterfly S5, wheelchair racer Jerrold Mangliwan in the men's 100m T52, and Cendy Asusano in the women's javelin throw F54.