Toyota Motor Asia (TMA) has unveiled its refreshed roster of Global Team Toyota Athletes (GTTA). The company named seven standout athletes from six Southeast Asian countries who will represent the brand on the road to the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games and Asian Para Games.
For the Philippines, Olympic gymnastics champion Carlos Yulo and Paralympic swimmer Ernie Gawilan will continue their partnership with Toyota after first joining the program during the Paris 2024 cycle. Their inclusion highlights Toyota’s continuing support for Filipino athletes competing on the regional and international stage.
The expanded athlete roster also welcomes two new para-athletes: Indonesian para-cyclist Muhammad Fadli Imamuddin and Malaysian para-athletics sprinter Muhammad Ammar Aiman Nor Azmi. They join returning athletes from Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines in a lineup that showcases both sporting excellence and community leadership.
Toyota said the Global Team Toyota Athletes program reflects the company’s “Move Your World” platform, which views mobility as more than transportation. Through sport, advocacy, and community engagement, athletes are encouraged to inspire positive change beyond competition.
Alongside Yulo and Gawilan, the 2026 roster includes Singaporean para-swimmer Toh Wei Soong, Thai badminton star Kunlavut Vitidsarn, and Vietnamese para powerlifter Lê Văn Công.
According to Toyota Motor Asia Vice President Preston Tan, the athletes embody resilience, courage, and the power of movement to create opportunities for others. He noted that their journeys demonstrate how sport can inspire communities and open new possibilities across the region.
A key component of the program is Toyota’s Dual Hero Projects initiative. First launched in 2018, the initiative pairs athletes with community-focused projects that reflect causes close to their hearts. Toyota said similar community programs will be developed for all seven athletes throughout their partnership with the brand.
In the Philippines, Gawilan previously spearheaded a nationwide coastal cleanup and mangrove restoration effort that mobilized more than 1,300 volunteers across 33 locations and resulted in the planting of over 10,000 mangroves. Yulo, meanwhile, has worked with Toyota through the Start Your Impossible Gymnastics Camp, helping young gymnasts develop their skills while encouraging them to pursue bigger dreams.
Autocar’s Take
Toyota’s continued support for athletes such as Carlos Yulo and Ernie Gawilan shows that sports partnerships can be about more than medals and endorsements. What stands out in the Global Team Toyota Athletes program is its emphasis on community impact through initiatives like the Dual Hero Projects. By helping athletes champion causes that matter to them, Toyota creates a deeper connection between sporting achievement and social responsibility. As the countdown to the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games begins, this approach gives the program greater meaning.
