(From L-R) Emma Malabuyo, Japan’s Mana Okamura and Spain’s Laura Casabuena. –CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/Coach Clifford Parks
MANILA, Philippines– Obsessed with an inclusion in the Paris Olympics, Emma Malabuyo carried herself a step closer to that goal at the 2024 FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup Series.
The 21-year-old floor exercise specialist from California displayed the flair and resilience needed to impress the judges in bagging the silver medal at the world apparatus meet in Cairo, Egypt.
Malabuyo tallied 12.670 behind gold medalist Mana Okamura of Japan (13.070) but wound up better than the 12.630 bronze routine of Spain’s Laura Casabuena.
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Aside from the glittering silver medal, Malabuyo earned her first 25 Olympic qualifying points for Paris.
“If she continues getting medals in the other legs of the World Cup, Emma could gain that spot in the Olympics,’’ said Gymnastics Association of the Philippines president Cynthia Carrion.
The four-leg series is a qualifier for the Paris Summer Games in July and Malabuyo should maintain her pace in succeeding stops to be held in Cottbus, Germany (Feb. 22-25), Baku, Azerbaijan (March 7-10) and Doha, Qatar (April 17-20).
Only the top two athletes for each apparatus in the World Cup series will secure spots in the French capital as stipulated in the Olympic Qualification World Cup Ranking.
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Malabuyo, a former member of the United States national team for five years before joining the Philippine squad last year, also claimed a silver medal in the floor at the 2023 Asian Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Singapore.
She was an alternate in the US team during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) standout is eager to accompany fellow gymnasts Carlos Yulo and Aleah Finnegan in Paris after both qualified through the World Championships in Antwerp, Belgium last year.
“We already have two (in Paris) with Carlos and Aleah. We’re hoping that Emma could join them,’’ said Carrion.
Malabuyo finished seventh in the qualification round of the floor in Cairo before vaulting herself to the podium.
Joining Malabuyo at the Cottbus phase of the series are men’s artistic gymnasts Miguel Besana (vault) and Ivan Cruz (floor exercise).