Olympic-bound: Dream come true for Gymnast Emma Malabuyo

24.07.2024

After close calls in the past, Filipino-American gymnast Emma Malabuyo’s dream of making the Olympics finally came true.

The fulfillment of the dream came true when Malabuyo finished third in the individual all-round division of the Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Asian Championships held in Uzbekistan back in May.

PHOTO COURTESY: GYMNASTICS NOW

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"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 following the competition. She added: "I'm in shock and I can't believe it."

The podium finish gave the former alternate for the United States Olympic team her ticket to Paris. Emma’s qualification for the Summer Games secured the Philippines’ biggest number of Olympics entries in gymnastics (four representatives) since the 1968 Olympics. She will join fellow Fil-Ams, Alea Finnegan Levi Jung-Ruivivar in the women’s division while Carlos Yulo will be the sole men's representative.

But before she reached that success, the 21-year-old Malabuyo narrowly missed obtaining a quota earlier this year through the International Gymnastics Federation’s World Cup series where began representing the Philippines, the birthplace of her grandparents.

Following the final event of the series, Malabuyo was disappointed and down on herself saying: "At the end of the series, I was honestly super heartbroken, and I remember just crying for three days straight. I pulled all nighters because I just was so heartbroken and I couldn't believe it. I was really doubting myself," she admitted.

But with the encouragement of her parents, Malabuyo persisted.

"My parents reminded me of, like, 'You know what? Just try doing all around for the Asian Championships. Just give it your all and just see what happens,'" she recalled. "I really wanted to give up because I doubted myself... but as I started getting my skills [back] fairly quickly... I was like, 'Wait, maybe, I can just have a good showing all around.' I didn't think I had the potential to get an Olympic spot. I definitely was like, 'Okay, we'll see where this ends up.' But I performed and just did my best and I gave it my all today."

Placing third place in the Uzbekistan’s series, Malabuyo solidified her journey to Paris, securing the spot by only 0.033 all around points and making her as the highest-placing Filipina gymnast in the history of Asian Championships all-around.

Career Highlights

2024 Philippines Olympian
2024 Asian Championships floor exercise gold medalist, all-around bronze medalist
2023 Asian Championships floor exercise silver medalist
2020 U.S. Olympic Team alternate
Two-time balance beam All-American
Scored a perfect 10 on balance beam 3/12/22
2023 CSC Academic All-District
Two-time WCGA Scholastic All-American
Five-time U.S. National Team Member
2017 U.S. Junior Floor Exercise champion

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