Four Filipino American gymnasts have chosen to represent the Philippines at upcoming international competitions.
According to ABS-CBN, Filipina Americans Levi Jung-Ruivivar, Aleah Finnegan, Kylee Kvamme and Emma Lauren Malabuyo will all represent the Philippines.
Jung-Ruivivar, 17, was the most recent gymnast to choose the Philippines. Her father Antony, is Filipino American. She posted about her decision on Instagram.
“I wanted to announce that moving forward in my gymnastics career, I will be competing for the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP). I have truly cherished every opportunity I’ve had while competing nationally and internationally for the United States of America,” she wrote in the post.
Finnegan and Malabuyo, both 20, have also made the switch, like Jung-Ruivivar. According to The Daily Bruin, Malabuyo was an alternate for the United States at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics but made the switch to the Philippines after the Olympics. She won the silver medal on floor at the 2023 Asian Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Singapore.
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Finnegan made her debut for the Philippines in 2022, according to Olympics.com. She won the bronze on balance beam at the 2023 Asian Artistic Gymanstics Championships.
Kvamme, 17, and Finnegan will compete for the Philippines at the upcoming world championships in Antwerp, Belgium.
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