[EDITOR'S NOTE: Get to know the 22 Filipino athletes bound for the 2024 Paris Olympics through this SPIN.ph series]
Emma Malabuyo all but gave up her chance to be at the Paris Olympics after missing out several times during tryouts and competition for the U.S gymnastics team.
But after making a decision to switch nationalities last year using her grandparents Filipino heritage, the 5-foot, 21-year-old was able to fulfill her Olympic dreams. She did it by finishing third in last May's Asian Championships' all around event.
She was the last athlete to make it to the Philippine team, bringing the number of gymnasts to the Games at four - three women and one male. The sport has made a surprising inroad that it ranks second behind boxing with five entries in the Philippine team.
Malabuyo joins Aleah Finnegan and Levi Jung-Ruivivar in Paris in the women’s artistic gymnastics, all of whom are making their first-ever Olympic appearance. Carlos Yulo is the veteran among the group and is eyed as a possible medal prospect in this his second Olympics.
On the other hand, this would have been Malabuyo’s second Olympics, too.
While competing for the United States, the Fil-American Malabuyo finished ninth in the national trials but that only made her an alternate in the US Team headlined by Simone Biles and Sunisa Lee in Tokyo.
With that narrow miss, Malabuyo's Olympic dream became an obsession. She knew she had it in her to become one. She also knew it would require hard work and dedication. Malabuyo entered the FIG World Cup Series, a set of qualification competitions for Paris.
It was tough as she had to juggle her preparations with her schooling and athletics since she was part of the UCLA Gymnastics Team.
At one point, Malabuyo had to travel back to the United States for a dual meet between UCLA and Stanford in between two FIG World Cup Series competitions in Cottbus, Germany, and Baku, Azerbaijan.
Despite these efforts, she missed the Olympic spot.
“I was honestly super heartbroken, and I remember just crying for three days straight,” said Malabuyo in an interview with Olympics.com.
But adversity is nothing new for Malabuyo. She was on and off competitions over her career, including a broken tibia that kept her out during the 2019 season.
It turned out be a delayed gratification for Malabuyo who was born in the US with Filipino immigrant parents.
The hardwork paid off in May when she ended up with a podium finish in the Asian Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, the final qualification tournament for Paris. With the first two placers already qualified for the Olympics, the lone continental spot for Paris at stake went to Malabuyo, a lucky break for the Filipino.
The task before her now is to perform well and pray that the result will bring a medal.
“I still can't believe it just because it's been such a long and arduous path to get here,” said Malabuyo in an interview with Olympics.com shortly after the Asian Championships.
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