247:, the highest mountain in the Philippines. In two days, he conquered the peak, which was 2,954 meters (9,692 ft) above sea level, with the help of two assistants and two physical therapists. In 2023, Balais organized the "Climb for Everlasting Hope" to raise funds for Everlasting Hope Cebu, a non-profit organization helping around 200 children battling cancer. The climb also marks the 10th anniversary of his first climb on the mountain.
219:, Balais challenged himself by getting into a new sport. This time, he focused on swimming four hours a day to strengthen the weaker side of his body. In 1999, Balais participated in the Philspada National Games and took home gold medals in swimming. His victory allowed Balais to represent the Philippine team in various competitions in the US,
255:
Balais is the team captain of the
Philippine Accessible Disability Service (PADS) Dragon Boat Team, a cross-disability adaptive team. The PADS Dragon Boat Team has brought honor to the country several times in both local and international competitions, including the 1st Naga Invitational Dragon Boat
207:, discovered him and provided him with a bodybuilding program modified for his needs. In 1996, Balais represented the Philippine team in a Paralympics competition in the United States, where he finished 12th among 24 athletes worldwide.
268:
Among Balais' achievements include bagging the gold for bench press powerlifting in the 10th
Malaysian Paralympics in 2002, winning both silver and bronze medals for the 100-meter butterfly and freestyle relay swimming events at the
182:. In 1990, Balais suffered a broken bone during a freak basketball accident. Doctors decided to amputate his right leg a year after being bedridden to prevent the infection from spreading. He was fitted with an artificial leg at the
812:
320:, Cebu as the Laboratory Instructor for Physical and Occupational therapy students, a senior Prosthetic technician, and a patient advocate. Balais is also an inspirational and motivational speaker nationwide.
601:
653:
894:
203:
Inspired by his brother, who worked in the Middle East as a gym trainer, Balais tried weightlifting at a local gym to restore his confidence. Eventually, Monty
Mendigoria, a Philippine
904:
820:
627:
899:
909:
842:
761:
256:
Race, Hong Kong
International Dragon Boat Races in 2017 and 2018, the 14th IDBF World Dragonboat Racing Championship and the Club Crew World Championships in
707:
786:
334:
682:
289:
515:
363:
914:
339:
736:
425:
575:
276:
Balais was also honored as an outstanding individual by the city government of Cebu during its
Charter Day celebration.
486:
884:
313:
100:
889:
455:
183:
874:
297:
270:
167:
147:
602:"ASEAN Fans Rally behind AFF Suzuki Cup Teams with Heroic Messages Emblazoned onto Captains' Armbands"
288:
Philippines from 2017 to 2019. He was also featured in several news outlets in the country, including
879:
545:
654:"This Filipino Team of PWDs is Defending Their Dragon Boat Racing Championship Title in Hong Kong"
843:"Philippine Accessible Disability Services, Inc. (PADS) courtesy call with Pres. Rodrigo Duterte"
159:
257:
708:"Cebu Doctors' University welcomes back Mr. Balais, PADS team captain, with a courtesy call"
329:
301:
273:
in
Thailand in 2008, and being the first amputee to reach the peak of Mount Apo in 2013.
260:
in 2022. The team also made history as the first Para-Dragon boat champion in the world.
813:"PH Para Dragon Boat team wins four gold medals at 13th Club Crew World Championships"
868:
179:
317:
187:
204:
73:
628:"Para-athlete launches fundraising mountain climbing event, to climb Mount Apo"
391:
787:"Ang Kuwento ng Pasasalamat ni Paralympic champion Arnold Balais | Episode 45"
762:"Para-athlete na si Arnold Balais, umaasang makakasabak sa triathlon | Videos"
244:
163:
89:
683:"Philippines Paradragon boat team establishes 1st World Record in Thailand"
516:"Lalaking putol ang kanang hita, pinagpatuloy pa rin ang pagiging atleta"
224:
220:
166:
and prosthetic technician. He is known for being the team captain of the
487:"For this champion PWD dragon boat team, sports is the great equalizer"
293:
228:
546:"PWD athlete's inspiring story will prove that nothing is impossible"
285:
77:
232:
190:
as a vocational coordinator for PWDs (Persons with
Disabilities).
216:
168:
Philippine
Accessible Disability Service (PADS) Dragon Boat Team
426:"Arnold Balais proves disability is not an obstacle to success"
178:
At 14, Balais got his right leg amputated, caused by chronic
158:(born March 16, 1974) is an above-the-knee-amputee Filipino
576:"Athlete of the month for January: Arnold M. Balais"
392:"Paralympics Gold Medalist Inspires CITE Athletes!"
312:Balais is married with three children. He works at
143:
135:
127:
119:
114:
106:
96:
84:
69:
51:
43:
33:
28:
243:In 2013, Balais became the first amputee to scale
895:Paralympic bronze medalists for the Philippines
92:and prosthetic technician, motivationa speaker
284:Balais was a television commercial model for
8:
21:
905:Paralympic powerlifters for the Philippines
456:"'Capt. A' Balais on a mission for a cause"
20:
681:Quadra-Balibay, Angie (August 25, 2019).
186:. Later, Balais was offered a job at the
514:Gulferica, Marisse (December 18, 2018).
362:Subido, Joy Angelica; Alindahao, Karla.
900:Paralympic swimmers for the Philippines
364:"Arnold Balais: Powerlifting on a limb"
351:
335:Paralympic Committee of the Philippines
910:Paralympic sailors for the Philippines
731:
729:
676:
674:
652:Gutierrez, Angelica (June 20, 2018).
7:
569:
567:
540:
538:
536:
509:
507:
481:
479:
477:
450:
448:
446:
419:
417:
415:
413:
386:
384:
357:
355:
131:Weightlifting, swimming, boat racing
14:
340:Philippine Dragon Boat Federation
88:Athlete, vocational coordinator,
606:www.affmitsubishielectriccup.com
424:Simone, Denise (June 27, 2021).
520:Kami.com.ph – Philippines news
1:
396:CITE TECHNICAL INSTITUTE, INC
16:Filipino paralympic athlete
931:
574:Magsumbol, Caecent No-ot.
280:TV commercials/appearances
271:4th ASEAN Paralympic Games
162:, vocational coordinator,
184:University of Santo Tomas
915:Sportspeople from Bataan
847:Cebu Doctors' University
712:Cebu Doctors' University
741:Global Sports Mentoring
314:Cebu Doctors University
156:Arnold "Capt. A" Balais
101:Cebu Doctors University
139:Above-the-knee amputee
791:ABS-CBN Entertainment
298:ABS-CBN Entertainment
174:Early life and career
148:PADS Dragon Boat Team
552:. September 29, 2015
29:Personal information
849:. November 21, 2019
687:Good News Pilipinas
290:GMA Integrated News
25:
885:Filipino sportsmen
632:www.sunstar.com.ph
462:. February 1, 2023
160:paralympic athlete
44:National team
890:Filipino amputees
823:on April 25, 2023
714:. August 29, 2019
626:Cotejo, Honey I.
398:. August 28, 2017
258:Sarasota, Florida
239:Mountain climbing
153:
152:
922:
859:
858:
856:
854:
839:
833:
832:
830:
828:
819:. Archived from
809:
803:
802:
800:
798:
793:. April 24, 2021
783:
777:
776:
774:
772:
758:
752:
751:
749:
747:
733:
724:
723:
721:
719:
704:
698:
697:
695:
693:
678:
669:
668:
666:
664:
649:
643:
642:
640:
638:
623:
617:
616:
614:
612:
597:
591:
590:
588:
586:
571:
562:
561:
559:
557:
542:
531:
530:
528:
526:
511:
502:
501:
499:
497:
483:
472:
471:
469:
467:
452:
441:
440:
438:
436:
421:
408:
407:
405:
403:
388:
379:
378:
376:
374:
359:
330:Paralympic Games
215:After moving to
65:
61:
59:
36:
26:
930:
929:
925:
924:
923:
921:
920:
919:
865:
864:
863:
862:
852:
850:
841:
840:
836:
826:
824:
811:
810:
806:
796:
794:
785:
784:
780:
770:
768:
766:GMA News Online
760:
759:
755:
745:
743:
737:"Arnold Balais"
735:
734:
727:
717:
715:
706:
705:
701:
691:
689:
680:
679:
672:
662:
660:
651:
650:
646:
636:
634:
625:
624:
620:
610:
608:
599:
598:
594:
584:
582:
573:
572:
565:
555:
553:
544:
543:
534:
524:
522:
513:
512:
505:
495:
493:
485:
484:
475:
465:
463:
454:
453:
444:
434:
432:
423:
422:
411:
401:
399:
390:
389:
382:
372:
370:
361:
360:
353:
348:
326:
310:
302:CNN Philippines
282:
266:
253:
241:
213:
201:
196:
176:
63:
57:
55:
34:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
928:
926:
918:
917:
912:
907:
902:
897:
892:
887:
882:
877:
867:
866:
861:
860:
834:
804:
778:
753:
725:
699:
670:
644:
618:
592:
563:
532:
503:
473:
442:
409:
380:
350:
349:
347:
344:
343:
342:
337:
332:
325:
322:
309:
306:
281:
278:
265:
262:
252:
249:
240:
237:
212:
209:
200:
197:
195:
192:
175:
172:
151:
150:
145:
141:
140:
137:
133:
132:
129:
125:
124:
121:
117:
116:
112:
111:
108:
104:
103:
98:
94:
93:
86:
82:
81:
71:
70:Home town
67:
66:
62:March 16, 1974
53:
49:
48:
45:
41:
40:
37:
31:
30:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
927:
916:
913:
911:
908:
906:
903:
901:
898:
896:
893:
891:
888:
886:
883:
881:
878:
876:
875:Living people
873:
872:
870:
848:
844:
838:
835:
822:
818:
814:
808:
805:
792:
788:
782:
779:
767:
763:
757:
754:
742:
738:
732:
730:
726:
713:
709:
703:
700:
688:
684:
677:
675:
671:
659:
655:
648:
645:
633:
629:
622:
619:
607:
603:
596:
593:
581:
577:
570:
568:
564:
551:
547:
541:
539:
537:
533:
521:
517:
510:
508:
504:
492:
488:
482:
480:
478:
474:
461:
457:
451:
449:
447:
443:
431:
427:
420:
418:
416:
414:
410:
397:
393:
387:
385:
381:
369:
365:
358:
356:
352:
345:
341:
338:
336:
333:
331:
328:
327:
323:
321:
319:
315:
308:Personal life
307:
305:
303:
300:in 2021, and
299:
295:
291:
287:
279:
277:
274:
272:
263:
261:
259:
250:
248:
246:
238:
236:
234:
230:
226:
223:, Australia,
222:
218:
210:
208:
206:
199:Weightlifting
198:
193:
191:
189:
185:
181:
180:osteomyelitis
173:
171:
169:
165:
161:
157:
149:
146:
142:
138:
134:
130:
126:
122:
118:
113:
109:
105:
102:
99:
95:
91:
87:
85:Occupation(s)
83:
80:, Philippines
79:
75:
72:
68:
64:(age 50)
54:
50:
46:
42:
38:
32:
27:
23:Arnold Balais
19:
851:. Retrieved
846:
837:
825:. Retrieved
821:the original
816:
807:
795:. Retrieved
790:
781:
769:. Retrieved
765:
756:
744:. Retrieved
740:
716:. Retrieved
711:
702:
690:. Retrieved
686:
661:. Retrieved
657:
647:
635:. Retrieved
631:
621:
609:. Retrieved
605:
595:
583:. Retrieved
580:Philstar.com
579:
554:. Retrieved
549:
523:. Retrieved
519:
494:. Retrieved
490:
464:. Retrieved
460:INQUIRER.net
459:
433:. Retrieved
429:
400:. Retrieved
395:
371:. Retrieved
368:Philstar.com
367:
318:Mandaue City
311:
283:
275:
267:
264:Achievements
254:
242:
214:
202:
188:UST Hospital
177:
155:
154:
18:
880:1974 births
600:Tan, Joel.
430:The New Hue
251:Boat racing
205:powerlifter
123:Philippines
74:Dinalupihan
47:Philippines
869:Categories
550:DailyPedia
346:References
136:Disability
58:1974-03-16
853:April 25,
827:April 25,
797:April 26,
771:April 25,
746:April 25,
718:April 25,
692:April 26,
663:April 26,
637:April 25,
611:April 25,
585:April 25,
556:April 25,
525:April 25,
496:April 25,
466:April 25,
435:April 25,
402:April 25,
373:April 25,
304:in 2022.
296:in 2019,
245:Mount Apo
324:See also
225:Thailand
221:Malaysia
211:Swimming
164:orthotic
107:Children
97:Employer
90:orthotic
35:Nickname
658:Esquire
491:Spin.ph
294:24 Oras
229:Vietnam
120:Country
39:Capt. A
286:Unilab
231:, and
194:Sports
78:Bataan
233:Korea
128:Sport
115:Sport
855:2023
829:2023
799:2023
773:2023
748:2023
720:2023
694:2023
665:2023
639:2023
613:2023
587:2023
558:2023
527:2023
498:2023
468:2023
437:2023
404:2023
375:2023
217:Cebu
144:Team
52:Born
817:cnn
316:in
871::
845:.
815:.
789:.
764:.
739:.
728:^
710:.
685:.
673:^
656:.
630:.
604:.
578:.
566:^
548:.
535:^
518:.
506:^
489:.
476:^
458:.
445:^
428:.
412:^
394:.
383:^
366:.
354:^
292:'
235:.
227:,
170:.
76:,
60:)
857:.
831:.
801:.
775:.
750:.
722:.
696:.
667:.
641:.
615:.
589:.
560:.
529:.
500:.
470:.
439:.
406:.
377:.
110:3
56:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.