EYEING slots in the world championships, Filipino rhythmic gymnasts aim to do well in the 14th Senior and 19th Junior Rhythmic Gymnastics Asian Championships opening today at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
“Our senior rhythmic gymnasts have trained very hard because the Asian Seniors is a qualifying event for the world championships in August in Valencia, Spain,” Gymnastics Association of the Philippines deputy secretary general Rowena Bautista said yesterday during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the PSC conference room in Manila.
Carrying the cudgels for the country in the Asian seniors’ meet are 2019 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Daniela dela Pisa, Europe-trained Breanna Labadan and Trisha Mae Montefalcon in the women’s individual event.
Competing in the team event are Angedlika Leigh Buenavidez, Andrea Mae Emperado, Jenny Eusebio, Katrina Loretizo, and Divina Sembrano.
Jasmine Ramillo and Cristalin Zoe Valencia will see action in the juniors’ division, Bautista said in the public sports program supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., San Miguel Corp. and Milo.
Bautista said the top seven finishers in the individual all-around and top five in the team event will book tickets to the FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships scheduled Aug. 23 to 28 in Valencia, Spain.
Competition manager Anna Marie Carreon, who also graced the program, said more than 200 athletes from 20 countries in Asia and Oceania will compete in the four-day event organized by the GAP and sanctioned by the Asian Gymnastics Union.
The countries vying are China, Hongkong, Indonesia, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Taipei, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
Carreon said eight golds will be at stake in both the seniors and juniors’ divisions of the event that hopes to spark renewed interest in the graceful and dynamic sports that isn’t as expensive as artistic gymnastics.
“Unlike artistic gymnastics, all you need are simple equipment such as mats and apparatuses such as hoops, clubs, ball and ribbon,” Carreon said.
She said that among those seeing action is Asian rhythmic gymnastics powerhouse Uzbekistan, led by Takhmina, Ikromova, who bagged five gold medals in the Asian meet held last year in Pattaya, Thailand.
