All 74 countries  and their respective gymnasts vying in the 3rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics Junior World Championships kicking off on Thursday at the Manila Marriot Hotel Grand Ballroom within the Newport World Resorts in Pasay City are all in and accounted for.

"We would like to welcome all our athletes, coaches and officials who are taking part in the world juniors and we are grateful for their enthusiastic response to our international competition," said Gymnastics Association of the Philippines president Cynthia Carrion yesterday after being informed of the development.

The moving force behind the staging of the global gymnastics spectacle, Carrion said that the contingents began streaming into the country over the weekend for five days thrilling days of action in the tournament backed by the Office of the President, Philippine Sports Commission and the Department of Tourism.

She noted that those who will take part in the elite meet sanctioned by the International Gymnastics Federation have already exceeded its past two stagings.

The second World Junior Championships held in Antalya, Turkey drew 64 nations and 283 athletes while the current one has already surpassed double the number of campaigners to close to 750.