Filipino athletes part of Toyota 2026 Asian Games, Asian Para Games roster 

MANILA: Filipino athletes Carlos Yulo (two-time gymnastics Olympic gold medalist) and Ernie Gawilan (Paralympic swimmer) are included in the refreshed Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games and Asian Para Games roster of Toyota Motor Asia (TMA). 

The lineup consists of seven Global Team Toyota Athletes (GTTA) representing six countries across Southeast Asia, on the road to the abovementioned sporting events. 

Per TMA, its updated roster — now comprised of two new para-athletes, alongside returning athletes from the Paris 2024 cycle — is also unified under Toyota’s regional brand platform, “Move Your World,” and reflects the company’s enduring belief that sport reveals what it truly means to be human. 

“At Toyota, sport is a reflection of the human experience — the hope, the doubt, the dignity in defeat and the joy of moving forward together,” TMA Vice President Preston Tan was quoted as saying. 

“Across Asia, our seven Global Team Toyota Athletes embody that spirit, and it is our privilege to stand beside these athletes who continue to inspire and demonstrate how far dedication and courage can take them, both in competition and beyond,” he added. 

“Their journeys highlight the power of sport and its ability to open up new possibilities. Through Move Your World, we aim to support their ambitions in the lead-up to Aichi-Nagoya 2026, and to work alongside them in creating lasting impact in the communities that shaped them,” Tan concluded. 

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New para-athletes 

New to the team are Indonesia’s Muhammad Fadli Imamuddin and Malaysia’s Muhammad Ammar Aiman Nor Azmi, who will join five GTTAs from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. 

Imamuddin began his sporting career as a professional motorcycle racer before a racing incident in 2015 led him to transition to para cycling. 

According to TMA, he began competing again in 2017 and has since represented Indonesia internationally, claiming gold at the 2025 ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Para Games, while mentoring the next generation of riders through his motorcycle racing school. 

On the other hand, Nor Azmi progressed from school-level competitions to the international stage, steadily building a reputation as a consistent performer in para-athletics. 

His achievements include winning gold at the 2022 Asian Para Games and silver at the 2025 ASEAN Para Games, signaling the growing strength of para sport in the region. 

Full GTTA roster 

The full line-up of GTTA is as follows:

Country	Name of Athlete	Sport	Status
Indonesia	Muhammad Fadli Imamuddin	Para Cycling	New for 2026
Malaysia	Muhammad Ammar Aiman Nor Azmi	Para Athletics	New for 2026
Philippines	Carlos Yulo	Gymnastics	Continuing
Philippines	Ernie Gawilan	Para Swimming	Continuing
Singapore	Toh Wei Soong	Para Swimming	Continuing
Thailand	Kunlavut Vitidsarn	Badminton	Continuing
Vietnam	Lê Vãn Công	Para Powerlifting	Continuing

Since 2018, Toyota has partnered with over 20 GTTAs in Asia, supporting athletes who not only represent sporting excellence, but also embody the power of movement to drive progress beyond competition. 

As the brand continues to evolve, its athlete partnerships remain a key expression of its Move Your World philosophy, where mobility extends beyond movement to create access, opportunity, and progress within communities. Through the GTTAs, Toyota continues to champion sport as a platform for inspiration, inclusion, and meaningful community impact. 

Dual Hero Projects 

As part of the long-standing partnership with athletes in Asia, Toyota continues to drive positive impact through its Dual Hero Projects. 

Per the carmaker, the initiative pairs each athlete with a Toyota-supported project tied to a cause they care deeply about – extending their impact beyond competition and into the communities that shaped them. Since its inception, the programme has supported over 20 athlete-led initiatives across the region. 

In the Philippines, Gawilan led a nationwide coastal cleanup and mangrove restoration initiative, mobilizing more than 1,300 volunteers across 33 sites and planting over 10,000 mangroves – restoring the very waters that accompanied his journey as an athlete. 

Meanwhile, Yulo has worked closely with Toyota through the “Start Your Impossible” Gymnastics Camp, a youth development initiative that provides aspiring gymnasts with opportunities to learn from one of the sport's biggest stars while inspiring them to dream bigger and reach their full potential. 

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