By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Gymnast Levi Jung-Ruivivar became the latest qualifier for Team Philippines to the 2024 Paris Olympics after bagging the silver medal in the uneven bars final at the FIG Apparatus World Cup Series in Doha, Qatar on Friday, April 19.
The 17-year-old Fil-American tallied13.633 points, good enough to earn one of the two Olympic berths at stake in the apparatus.
She became the third Filipino gymnast to earn a ticket to Paris after Carlos Yulo and Aleah Finnegan who clinched slots in the world championships in Antwerp, Belgium last year.
This is so far the most number of qualified Filipino gymnasts to the Olympics since the 1968 edition in Mexico where the country sent Ernesto Beren and Norman Henson.
Ruivivar is officially the 10th Filipino qualifier to Paris, joining pole vaulter EJ Obiena, boxers Nesthy Petecio, Aira Villegas and Eumir Marcial, and weightlifters Elreen Ando, John Febuar Ceniza, Vanessa Sarno.
The number of PH athletes to the Paris Games is likely to rise due to universality rule with swimmers Kyla Sanchez and Jarrod Hatch already assured.
Other potential qualifiers are Robyn Brown (athletics), Kurt Barbosa (taekwondo), Cris Nievarez (rowing), Joanie Delgaco (rowing), brothers Keisei and Shugen Nakano (judo), Kiyome Watanabe (judo), Jericho Francisco (skateboarding), Patrick Coo (BMX cycling), Shagne Yaoyao (MTB cycling), Emma Malabuyo (gymnastics), Bianca Pagdanganan (golf) and Carlo Paalam (boxing), Criz Laurente (boxing), Hergie Bacyadan (boxing) and Rogen Ladon (boxing).
Prior to the Doha event, which was the fourth and last leg of the series, Ruivivar was tied for fifth place in the Olympic rankings in the said apparatus with 44 points.
She gained 30 points in this event to improve to 62 points after becoming the highest-placed eligible gymnast since Algeria’s Kaylia Nemour, who captured the gold with 15.366 points, already secured a berth to Paris during the world championships.
New Zealand’s Georgia-Rose Brown of New Zealand claimed the other ticket to Paris after topping apparatus rankings with 70 points.
