Paris Olympics: Finnegan, Malabuyo, Ruivivar keep slim chances alive

The Philippines’ Aleah Finnegan competes in the balance beam event of the artistic gymnastics women’s qualification during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena in Paris, on July 28, 2024. (Photo by Lionel BONAVENTURE / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines — The trio of Aleah Finnegan, Emma Malabuyo, and Levi Ruivivar may have slim chances of making it to the final round of artistic gymnastics but they debuted in style in the Paris Olympics 2024 on Sunday at Bercy Arena in France.

After three subdivisions, the Filipino-Americans didn’t make it to the top 24 of the all-around category as Ruivivar and Malabuyo placed 28th and 29th, respectively, garnering identical scores of 51.099, while Finnegan placed 33rd with 50.498 points.

With two more subdivisions to go on Monday (Manila time), only the top 24 finalists advance to the all-around final, while the top eight in each of the apparatuses compete for medals. Only two gymnasts from each country will advance to the finals.

READ: Paris Olympics: Team Philippines female gymnasts get their chance to shine

Finnegan reached the top 10 in the vault with 13.383 for a reserve spot in the apparatus final on Saturday. She placed 27th in floor exercise with 12.733 points, 37th in uneven bars (12.566), and 43rd in balance beam (11.466).

The 18-year-old Ruivivar, the youngest member of Team Philippines,  placed 26th in uneven bars with 13.200 points, 36th in floor exercise (12.433), and 40th in balance beam (11.866), and had 13.600 points in vault.

Malabuyo had her best showing in floor exercise as No. 20 (13.100), placed 36th in balance beam (12.233) and 39th in uneven bars (12.500), and scored 13.266 in vault.

American Simone Biles dominated after three subdivisions with an all-around score of 59.566, while topping the vault and floor exercise. She placed second in the balance beam and eighth in uneven bars.