After three years, Emma Malabuyo will finally have her Olympic moment.
Serving as the alternate gymnast for the United States in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Malabuyo finally secured qualification to the 2024 Paris Olympics – but this time for the Philippines.
She finished third in the 2024 Asian Gymnastics Championships individual all-around event on Friday in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
“I’m just so overwhelmed. I’m speechless. I think I’m still shaking just hearing the news. And I’m still like, ‘Is it real?’ Like, I still can’t believe it just because it’s been such a long and arduous path to get here,” Malabuyo told Olympics.com.
“I’m in shock and I can’t believe it.”
Missing out on the qualification from the FIG World Cup Apparatus series, the 21-year-old standout amassed 50.398 points to not only bag her first Asian championship medal with that bronze.
She also became the highest-ranked eligible athlete for the Games.
Malabuyo, who began representing the Philippines last year, will be joining fellow Fil-Am female gymnasts Alleah Finnegan and Levi Ruivivar at the Paris Games later in the year.
The Philippines will also field two-time World champion Carlos Yulo.
Artistic gymnastics now boasts four athletes at the quadrennial spectacle, the most for a sport in the delegation, adding to the three each from weightlifting: John Ceniza, Vanessa Sarno, Elreen Ando; and boxing, so far: Eumir Marcial,
Nesthy Petecio, and Aira Villegas. Athletics’ EJ Obiena, rowing’s Joanie Delgaco, and fencing’s Samantha Catantan complete Team Philippines’ Olympic Centenary delegation.
