Zamboanga Sibugayโs rising table tennis star, Lhey Marie Manginsay, delivered a commanding performance at the 8th Philippine National Para Games, sweeping national team standout Minnie Cadag 3-0 to claim the womenโs singles Class 10 gold medal Thursday at Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.
โI played well today. I persisted to come here because it’s my dream to play in the national team,” said the 21-year-old sensation, brimming with pride after her stunning upset.
Manginsayโs momentum carried over to the womenโs doubles, where she partnered with Marie Nina Carmelotes of Davao.
Despite a strong start, the duo fell short in the finals against the formidable tandem of Cadag and Marie Eloise Sable.
In the mixed doubles, Manginsay joined forces with Rommel Lucencio, but their campaign ended with a silver after a hard-fought match against Cadag and Linard Sultan in the championship clash.
Reflecting on her first appearance in the tournament, Manginsay said, โI’m happy to win the singles. That’s exactly what I came here for.” The journey was made even more remarkable given her perseverance following a serious injury in 2019, when she broke her right elbow in a fall from a hanging bridge.
Her performance has drawn comparisons to the late Josephine Medina, a Paralympic bronze medalist in Rio 2016.
โItโs an honor to be compared to her. I will try to improve even more so that I can reach what she achieved,” said Manginsay, a junior Social Work student at Sibugay Technical Institute Inc., as she eyes a bright future on the national stage.
The young standoutโs gritty performance and dream to join the national team have undoubtedly made her one to watch in Philippine para-sports.
