PH gymnast Emma Malabuyo falls short of medal in Baku World Cup
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines’ Emma Malabuyo fell short of a medal as the Baku, Azerbaijan leg of the 2024 FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup Series came to a close on Sunday, March 10.
The Filipina-American missed out on a podium spot in the women’s floor exercise final after finishing fourth with 13.133 points.
Austria’s Charlize Moerz ruled the eight-woman finale with 13.566 points as she edged China’s Ou Yushan, who netted 13.533 points.
Paris Olympics qualifier Kaylia Nemour of Algeria beat out Malabuyo for the bronze with 13.266 points.
Although unable to achieve another medal finish after snagging a floor exercise silver in the Cairo World Cup in Egypt in February, Malabuyo still boosted her chances of joining Carlos Yulo and Aleah Finnegan in the Paris Games.
The four-leg World Cup Series serves as an Olympic qualifier, with the top two gymnasts from each apparatus who accumulate the highest three-meet point total advancing to Paris.
Malabuyo is ranked second in floor exercise with 69 points behind Moerz, who is safely perched at the top with 80 points.
Spain’s Laura Casabuena (45 points), Turkey’s Sevgi Kayisoglu (43 points), Egypt’s Jana Mahmoud (42 points) hope to unseat Malabuyo as Olympic qualification heats up in the final World Cup leg in Doha, Qatar in April.
Only Yulo, out of the three Filipinos who saw action in Baku, won a medal as he captured bronze in the men’s floor exercise on Saturday, March 9.
Levi Jung-Ruivivar reached the women’s uneven bars final, where she finished eighth. – Rappler.com