More than 1,500 athletes from 11 member countries will participate in the 10th edition of the Asean Para Games to be held in the Philippines next month, organisers said on Tuesday.
At the end of registration on Sunday, a total of 1,533 athletes and 829 officials confirmed their participation in the event, the Philippines Asean Para Games Organising Committee said.
The number of athletes registered for Philippines 2020 surpassed the figure of 1,452 recorded at the last Games in Kuala Lumpur in 2017.
The tournament, which features 16 sports, will also serve as a qualifying event for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games.
Sports for Philippines 2020 include archery, athletics, badminton, boccia, chess, cycling, sitting volleyball, swimming and wheelchair basketball.
The Games will be held in three clusters -- New Clark City, Subic and Manila -- from Jan 18-24.
Thailand have entered the biggest number with 317 athletes and 188 officials while Indonesia, the reigning overall champions, will have the Games' second-largest contingent of 306 athletes.
The Philippines will parade the third-largest contingent with 274 athletes followed by 2017 runners-up Malaysia with 215 athletes. Vietnam will be represented by 109 athletes, Myanmar 108, Cambodia 76, Singapore 61, Laos 31, Brunei 26, and Timor Leste 10.
Thailand had aimed to win the overall title at the 2017 tournament but could only finish third behind champions Indonesia and hosts Malaysia.
The Paralymic Committee of Thailand is again targeting the overall crown at Philippines 2020 with wheelchair racers among its best hopes.
The wheelchair racing team, led by Paralympic champion Pongsakorn Paeyo, are training in Nakhon Rat- chasima.
Pongsakorn will take part in the 100m, 200m and 400m events.
"I am confident that I'll win three gold medals," said Pongsakorn, who won two gold and two silver medals at the 2016 Paralympics.