Aleah Finnegan proudly carries PHL colors in Olympics debut

Filipino-American gymnast Aleah Finnegan will proudly carry the colors of the Philippines as she makes her Olympic debut in Paris later this month.

Finnegan is one of the four gymnasts who will represent the country in the Summer Games as they hope to get the Philippines' first Olympic medal for the sport.

She will join fellow Fil-Ams Emma Malabuyo and Levi Ruivivar in the women's artistic gymnastics event.

A moment like this

Finnegan came from a family of gymnasts, as her sister Sarah was an alternate for the US Team back in the 2012 Olympics, while another sister in Hannah represented the Philippines in the 2011 Southeast Asian Games.

Finnegan also represented the United States and even won a gold medal as part of the team event in the 2019 Pan American Games.

However, Finnegan's journey was not smooth sailing.

She underwent surgery for a navicular bone injury in 2020 after the Tokyo Olympics' original schedule was postponed. Eventually, she tried to compete for a slot in the Olympic Trials, but she was not selected.

Finnegan retired from elite gymnastics in 2021, and decided to continue her gymnastics career in Louisiana State University.

However, an opportunity knocked upon her door.

Finnegan switched federations in 2022 and decided to represent the Philippines.

She immediately made an impact as she won gold in the team event and vault of the Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi.

For her, it was a moment to remember.

"It was just one of those moments that you really just hold onto forever," Finnegan told JP Soriano in his 24 Oras report last April 18.

"Just being up there on the podium, watching the Filipino flag rise as the anthem plays... My mom was sitting there in the audience and I got to hug her and embrace her for a few minutes. I was crying, she was crying, we’re [a] very emotional family but I just felt so honored to be able to represent that flag."

In 2023, Finnegan competed in the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships where she finished 32nd in the women's all-around event which allowed her to be eligible for a slot to the Paris Games.

It was also a historic moment as she became the first Filipina gymnast to qualify for Paris.

"We’re all crying and it was so hard to explain the feeling of joy and satisfaction and pride and being able to finally have that Oh, I did it moment'," Finnegan added.

"It’s such a dream come true."

That one special stage

As Finnegan arrives for this moment, her competition in this special stage will be among the world's best gymnasts.

In just the Philippines' subdivision alone in the Games, Finnegan, Malabuyo, and Ruivivar, will go against Olympic balance beam gold medalist Sanne Wevers of the Netherlands, World Cup Cairo leg floor and apparatus gold medalist Mana Okamura of Japan, and Asian Games gold medalist An Chang-ok of North Korea.

In the whole tournament, also competing are big names such as USA's Simone Biles and Suni Lee.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News