LAS VEGAS — Used to seeing their idols in magazines and on the Net, now they can see them in the flesh.

World champion Ao Jinping of China, Brazil’s Marina Lopes and Gregory Alcan of France never cease to wow the seven-man Philippine aerobic gymnastics team preparing to see action in the FIG Aerobic Gymnastics World Series at the Loews Lake Resort here.

But Philippine coach Jay Beren says the Filipinos’ fascination with the sport’s superstars ends when his team takes on the world’s finest aero gymnasts in the individual male and female categories and mixed pairs event.

Ajjie Mendelebar and Christina Ferrer open the Philippines’ bid on Thursday (Friday in Manila) in the men’s and women’s individual choreographed routines.

“We’ve practiced the moves to perfection, so I guess there’s no reason for us to falter in the routine,” said Beren, who has former Philippine Ballet theater performer Marion Ignacio as assistant.

Charies Mendez will get her baptism of fire in aero gymnastics in the same event as Mendelebar tomorrow before Dico Ili teams up with Ferrer in the mixed pairs.

The trip and participation of the Philippine aero gymnasts were made possible by the Philippine Sports Commission.

Mendez, 28, is in his first international tournament while the rest have seen action in the 2007 Asian Indoor Games in Macau and the 2005 Manila Southeast Asian Games.