OLYMPIANS MALABUYO, FINNEGAN SHINE IN US-NCAA

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino-American Olympic gymnasts Emma Malabuyo and Aleah Finnegan made podium finishes in their senior year at the US-NCAA women's individual gymnastics championships on Friday.

Representing the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Malabuyo snared a silver medal in the balance beam apparatus.

Malabuyo's routine that netted 9.9750 points also sent the Bruins to the team final.

With an individual podium finish, the 22-year-old Malabuyo claimed her fourth All-American honors.

The top performers on each event from the semifinals get to make the Postseason All-American team.

First to fourth place finishers and ties crack the First-team while fifth to eight place finishers make the Second-team.

Meanwhile, Finnegan claimed a bronze medal for the Louisiana State University (LSU) as she garnered 9.9375 points to share the third place with Skyla Schulte (Michigan State) and Lily Smith (Georgia) in floor exercise.

With her third place finish, the 22-year-old Finnegan, who seized the individual floor exercise championship last year, has now collected 13 All-American titles including five from floor exercise.

Finnegan, Malabuyo, and Levi Ruivivar represented the Philippines at the Paris Olympics last year, ending the 60-year absence of the country in the Summer Games women's gymnastics.

Also based in the United States, the 18-year-old Ruivivar was supposed to represent Stanford University this US-NCAA 2025 season but had to redshirt due to an eating disorder which she divulged last January.

2025-04-20T01:19:46Z