MANILA, Philippines, April 16 ------ Another gymnast is in line to join the Philippines’ growing Olympic roster as Emma Malabuyo looks to clinch her Paris Games berth through the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup Series. Together with compatriots Carlos Yulo and Levi Jung-Ruivivar, Malabuyo will see action in the series-ending Doha, Qatar leg that will run from Wednesday, April 17 to Saturday, April 20.
Malabuyo can become the third Filipino gymnast to qualify for Paris after Yulo and Aleah Finnegan by ranking in the top two of the women’s floor exercise at the end of the World Cup Series, which is made up of four legs. For each apparatus, the top two gymnasts who accumulate the highest three-meet point total will advance to the Olympics.
Malabuyo sits at second place in floor exercise with 69 points after garnering 30 points for her silver medal in Cairo, Egypt, 14 points for 13th place in Cottbus, Germany, and 25 points for fourth place in Baku, Azerbaijan. With Austria’s Charlize Moerz already qualified for Paris as she is secured of a top-two finish in floor exercise with 80 points, only one Olympic seat is up for grabs in the apparatus.
Malabuyo seeks to keep her spot against Spain’s Laura Casabuena (45 points) and Turkey’s Sevgi Kayisoglu (43 points). Also in the running for Paris, Jung-Ruivivar is tied for fifth in women’s balance beam with 44 points. Yulo, meanwhile, aims to win more medals after bagging bronze in the men’s floor exercise in the Baku leg as he continues to gear up for the Olympics.
Source: rappler.com