STRIVING to continue her gymnastics career and in pursuit of her Olympic dream, Ancilla Maria Lucia “Charlie” Manzano has accepted a gymnastics scholarship of the US NCAA Division 2 Southern Connecticut State University Owls based in New Haven, Connecticut.
“I am so grateful and excited to announce that I have committed to Southern Connecticut State University to continue my gymnastics and academic career!” exclaimed Manzano in a recent post on her Instagram account.
“I sincerely thank each and every one of you: all my past and present coaches and teammates, friends, and family, who have encouraged me throughout this journey. Your love and support have inspired me to pursue what was once just a dream,” added the gymnast.
Manzano, 18, was last seen representing the country in April at the tough Pacific rim Championships in Cali, Colombia where she won a women’s vault bronze medal.
She wound up seventh last year in the same event in the 19th Hangzhou Asian Games and was a member of the squad that won the gold in the women’s team event in the 31st Vietnam Southeast Asian Games in 2021.
“This a great opportunity for Charlie to be exposed to better training and tougher competition. We could not be happier for her,” noted national women’s artistic gymnastics team coach Naomi Soco.
“This will also enable Manzano to gain more exposure and experience because she dreams of competing for the Philippines in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. She will be only 22 by then,” added Soco of the Olympic aspirations of the athlete.
Manzano was nurtured and developed by Pasig-based Club Gymnastica, a club founded by former national gymnast turned national taekwondo jin Bea Lucero-Lhuillier.
She will be an incoming freshman with the Owls under Jerry Nelson, who was named as the interim head coach and handled the program from 2005 to 2019, replacing Byron Knox.
Nelson was the 2007 National Coach of the Year and earned four Eastern College Athletic Conference Gymnastics Coach of the Year honors while guiding the Owls to three ECAC Gymnastics Championships.
