JOINING forces to represent the country on the global stage, four exceptional Filipino gymnasts—Carlos Yulo, Aleah Finnegan, Emma Malabuyo, and Levi Jung-Ruiviva, have made a remarkable achievement in Philippine sports history by qualifying for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.

Gymnastics Phenoms

     The 24-year-old Filipino gymnast Yulo earned 14.600 points during the men’s floor exercise, guaranteeing him a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Yulo’s performance just came behind Artem Dolgopyat of Israel who earned a score of 15.100 and Frederick Richard of the United States who scored 14.600 at the 2023 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, held at the Sportspalais in Antwerp, Belgium. Yulo’s Olympic qualification compensated for the setback he faced during the vault exercise where he faced a fall, resulting in zero points. 

     After a heartbreaking performance during the 2021 U.S. Gymnastics Championships, Finnegan, a 21-year-old American turned Filipino gymnast, believed her career in elite gymnastics was over. However, she eventually accepted the invitation from the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines to represent the country in the 2022 Southeast Asian Games after ensuring her mind and body were in the right place to compete. Her performance at the Asian Gymnastics Championships last May earned her two bronze medals on the vault and balance beam which gave her a chance to compete in the Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, Belgium, the biggest gymnastic Paris 2024 qualifier. Finnegan’s clean and solid performance in Belgium eventually secured her a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

     After earning the bronze medal in the individual all-around event at the Women's Artistic Gymnastics Asian Championships in Uzbekistan last May, the 21-year-old Filipino gymnast, Malabuyo, secured her spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Malabuyo’s floor exercise earned over 13.333 points, while she also scored 13.033 in the vault, 12.566 on the balance beam, and 11.466 on the uneven bars. 

     The final Filipino gymnast to join the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics is 18-year-old Levi Jung-Ruivivar. Jung-Ruivivar secured her ticket to Paris after earning a silver medal in the uneven bars at the 2024 Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) Artistic Gymnastics World Cup Series in Doha, Qatar last April. She changed nationalities from American to Filipino at the last minute in honor of her late grandfather, who helped Levi connect with her strong Filipino roots. 

Filipino Dream Team in Motion

     The Philippine gymnastics team earned a spot in the Paris Olympics through their accomplishments at both the continental and world championships. Individual athletes who finish between 13th and 18th place qualify as individuals, while the top 12 teams in the all-around competition at the World Championships do so automatically. The Philippine gymnasts finished strong at both events, with Yulo and Finnegan qualifying as individuals while Malabuyo and Jung-Ruiviva qualified through their performances at the Asian Championships. 

     As the 2024 Paris Olympics nearly approaches, Filipinos are encouraged to show their support for the national athletes who will be competing on the international stage. This would create a ripple effect of inspiration and motivation that goes beyond the Olympic games and inspires future generations to pursue their aspirations. The Paris Olympics will officially take place from July 26 until Aug. 11 with 22 Filipino athletes representing the country with pride.