Filipino American gymnast Emma Malabuyo will represent the Philippines at the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris.
The star from UCLA qualified after taking a silver medal in the all-around competition at the Asian Gymnastics Championships Friday, reports Olympics.com.
Besides placing in the all-around, she bagged a gold medal in the floor exercises as well.
Just three years ago, Malabuyo traveled to Tokyo to serve as an alternate for Team USA in the Tokyo Olympics. She began representing the Philippines a year ago in her quest to make the Olympic team.
“I was so terrified to go for this Olympic dream one last time, but I was even more terrified of not trying at all,” she wrote on Instagram.
She almost gave up on her dream after falling short in the International Gymnastics World Cup Series. She said she cried for three days after the World Cup and admitted she began doubting herself.
Now she says she is so overwhelmed; she feels almost speechless. She credits her parents for not letting her give up on her dreams.
“‘You know what, just try doing all-around for Asian Championships. Just give it your all and see what happens,”‘ she recalls her parents telling her.
“I still can’t believe it,” she told Olympics.com. “It’s been such a long and arduous path to get here.”
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