Gymnastics joins federations looking to change Asiad rosters

The Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) is joining the list of national federations looking to alter its roster of athletes submitted to the Hangzhou Asian Games organizing committee in a bid to bolster its women’s artistic squad with the inclusion of a former United States juniors team campaigner.

Filipino-American Levi Jung-Ruivivar, a podium prospect in the women’s uneven bars and balance beam, recently shifted her representation from the US to the Philippines and the GAP is looking to include her name in a list of entries submitted last July 25.

“Levi can surely get a medal for us, but she’s not in the original list,’’ GAP president Cynthia Carrion-Norton told the Inquirer. “We’ve already lost our men’s team and we are fighting for Levi to be included in the Asian Games lineup.’’

The GAP is the latest federation looking to make changes to its original entry list, which was submitted just to meet the deadline of Asian Games organizers. Also looking to alter their submitted entries are the national federations of basketball, football and volleyball.

Ruivivar, 17, officially joined the team just a few days back and is being tabbed as a replacement for the injured Emma Lauren Malabuyo. She was not named in the original list.

The GAP is looking to fortify its medal hopes using the former US juniors standout since its men’s squad will be competing minus sure gold bet Carlos Yulo and is also dealing with injuries to two of its mainstays.

Yulo set aside the Asian Games from his calendar to focus on the gymnastics world championships in Belgium. INQ