Presently training in Manila, Paris Olympian Aleah Finnegan is confident that the staging of the 3rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics Junior World Championships next month will further accelerate the promotion and development of the dynamic Olympic sport in the country.
“I really think it is really important that our young girls will see high level gymnastics in in the Philippines,” Finnegan said of the blue-ribbon junior gymnastics competition set for Nov. 20 to 24 at the Manila Marriott Hotel Grand Ballroom located inside the Newport World Resorts in Pasay City.
“Most of these young girls who may want go into gymnastics just watch the athletes on TV or social media. But now we are actually bringing in high level athletes to inspire and push them. It is the junior worlds, after all, so the athletes competing will be very talented,” she noted.
A double gold medalist in the 2023 31st Southeast Asian Games, the comely athlete said that hosting the global elite junior gymnastics meet supported by the Office of the President and the Philippine Sports Commission was timely just a year over since Carlos Edriel Yulo scored a historic gymnastics Olympic golden double in the French capital.
“So the goal is that these Filipino athletes and gymnasts will be inspired once the gymnastics showcase gets going. We want to show the world that the Philippines is here to play,” Finnegan said. “We don’t want to be overlooked and show we really are pushing for the sports of gymnastics.”
Fondly recalling that she started her own gymnastics journey at the young age of two years old, the gymnast was delighted that the 3rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics Junior World Championships while she was gearing for the next world seniors in Jakarta, Indonesia next month and the 33rd Thailand Southeast Asian Games in December.
“I am actually really surprised that it lined up well and that I am here. I am really excited to be a part of it and help out the federation with whatever they need so we can get the needed support to host this,” said former Louisiana State University varsity gymnastics team mainstay.
“I am excited that this is happening and will do everything I can in supporting the world juniors so that all goes according to plan,” stressed the athlete of the event organized by the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines and sanctioned by the International Gymnastics Federation.
“I am really very excited to be a part of it all,” said Finnegan of the meet also supported by Senators Pia Cayetano and Christopher “Bong” Go, with Philippine Airlines at the official airline partner and St. Luke’s Hospital as the official medical services partner.
GAP president Cynthia Carrion thanked Finnegan for her support and was pleased that the third edition would easily surpass the second one held in 2023 in Antalya, Turkey that drew 283 campaigners from 64 countries.
“We have had a tremendous response to our hosting of this event and as of now there over 70 countries and close to a thousand athletes who will be competing in this event,” Carrion noted.
The country’s standard-bearers are Karl Eldrew Yulo in the boys’ division and Elisabeth Antone in the girls’ division of the championships also supported by the Department of Tourism, Pasay City government and Milo.
