NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Thailand — Angel Otom struck twice on Friday by nailing gold medals in the women’s 100-meter back S4-S5 and the 200-m freestyle S5 events and jack up her growing collection to four top finishes on the third day of hostilities in the 13th ASEAN Para Games at the 80th Birthday Aquatics Center.

Otom’s gold in the 100-meter back came with an extra; her one minute and 43.87 seconds clocking was a record-breaking performance.

The previous-record holder is Thai Junkum Thatannatch, who set the old mark 18 years ago also in this city.

In total, Otom now has collected four gold medals following her initial gold in the 50-meter back S4-S5 last Wednesday.

The University of the Philippines student grabbed another gold medal in the women’s 200m freestyle S5 event after clocking in 3:44.49.

Her two other gold medals came in the 50-meter back S4-S5 and 100-meter free S4-S5 while a silver was taken in the mixed 4x50 free relay 20 points S1-S10.

Otom said she drew strength from her heartbreaking showing in the 2024 Paris Paralympics as lessons.

She made it to the final of the 50m backstroke S5 and the 50m butterfly S5 in the French capital but finished in sixth and fifth place, respectively.

“I experienced a lot of disappointments at the Paralympics, and I was open about that. But now, those disappointments have become lessons for me,” Otom said.

“The biggest lesson I learned is to fight. There are times when you think you can’t do it, even when you’re already there, but you really have to trust yourself.”

Otom will look to end her campaign on a high note as she competes in the women’s 50m freestyle S4-S5 and the mixed 4×50 m medley relay 20 points S1-S10 events on Saturday.

In athletics, King James Reyes dominated the men’s 1500m T46 event, clocking a time of 4:17.93 late Thursday.

Cyril Ongcoy also made an impressive Para Games debut as he ruled the men’s 1500m T12 for a new meet record at 4:26.32, erasing the previous time of 4:47.25 by Domingos Pereira Lobato of Timor Leste in the 11th ASEAN Para Games in Solo, Indonesia.

Alyana Nuñez made an impressive Para Games debut as well as she topped the women’s discus throw F11 with 25.24 meters.