Fil-Am gymnasts launch Paris campaign

Filipino-American gymnasts Aleah Finnegan, Emma Malabuyo and Levi Ruivivar aim to dazzle with their routines as they make their Paris Olympics debuts in the women’s artistic gymnastics subdivision 3 today at the Bercy Arena on Sunday.

The trio will begin to compete at 8:50 p.m. (Philippine time), hoping to make the cut to advance to the medal round.

Finnegan, who won a gold medal in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam in 2022, is coming into the competition beaming with confidence following her US National Collegiate Athletic Association title with Louisiana State University.

“Soaking it all in,” Finnegan said.

But Finnegan will have to go through the proverbial eye of the needle to claim a podium in the tough field led by four-time Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles of the United States.

Malabuyo, on the other hand, wants to give back to the country for fulfilling her childhood dream of competing in the Olympics.

“I’ve been working so hard for this dream ever since I was a little girl. I think it’s an even greater achievement because I get to compete for the Philippines and represent my culture and community,” Malabuyo said.

Meanwhile, two-time world champion and one of the country’s top medal hopes Carlos Yulo is competing in the men’s artistic gymnastics subdivision 2, as of press time.

Despite experiencing an anaphylactic reaction days before the competition, the 18-year-old Ruivivar vows to put on an impressive show.

“I just want to let everyone know that I am 100 percent safe and healthy. My muscles are fatigued and it definitely took a toll on my body, but I am doing everything I can to recover and perform at my best possible level,” Ruivivar said.

“I am slowly progressing back into routines; I will be competing at this Olympic Games and I am beyond grateful to everyone that helped me through this incident.”

The Philippines is yet to win a medal in the sport since the country’s first participation in the discipline back in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.