Filipino-American Emma Malabuyo gets another chance to clinch a slot in the Paris Olympics when she competes in the 2024 AGU Asian Women Artistic Gymnastics in Tashkent on Friday.
The 21-year-old Malabuyo, a member of the vaunted University of California Los Angeles gymnastics squad, is tipped to go all out to join Carlos Yulo, Aleah Finnegan and Levi Ruivivar in the Summer Games that will start on 26 July.
Aside from Malabuyo, also seeing action are Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Kaitlin de Guzman, and Ancila Lucia Mari Manzano in this prestigious event that will give an Olympic ticket to the best performing gymnast in the individual all-around.
Malabuyo said she can’t wait to perform and, hopefully, win her first gold medal in the Asian Championships.
“I’m actually looking forward to competing at the Asian Championships. I’m just taking it day by day, so I don’t know if I’m going to do all-around, but my goal is to definitely medal on floor,” said Malabuyo, who will vie in the balance beam, uneven bars and vault.
“I’m actually still doing pretty good, and I am very determined and ambitious and ready to get back out there.”
Malabuyo is said to be one of the gymnasts to beat in this Asian meet after clinching a silver medal in floor exercise of the Cairo leg of the World Cup last February.
But Gymnastics Association of the Philippines Cynthia Carrion is tempering her expectations, knowing that other gymnasts will also be at their best as they seek slots in the Olympics.