PRESSURE creates diamonds, indeed.
With a Paris Olympic berth slipping away from her hands at the FIG World Cup series Doha leg last month, Filipino-American gymnast Emma Malabuyo had her back against the wall.
Entering the Women's Artistic Gymnastics Asian Championships slated May 24 to 26, Malabuyo must top the individual all-around event or emerge as the highest ranked eligible athlete to claim an Olympic slot.
That's what the 21-year-old did on Friday, when she netted 50.398 points that was also good for a bronze medal.
Her confidence shot through the roof after surpassing what was easily the hardest ordeal in her athletic career, Malabuyo then stamped her class in the floor exercise event final on Sunday evening.
Proving that her topping the qualification round was no fluke, Malabuyo came through and unleashed the best performance that garnered her 13.300 points and the gold.
Malabuyo bested Chinese Chen Xinyi (13.133) and Kazakh Aida Bauyrzhanova (13.066), who took home the silver and bronze medals, respectively.
With Malabuyo's floor exercise conquest, she made it a three-medal haul for the Philippines in the women's tournament.
Malabuyo's fellow Fil-Am and Paris Games-bound Levi Ruivivar delivered the other medal in the uneven bars apparatus.
Ruivivar, who placed fifth in the qualification round, tallied 13.100 points on a 5.600 difficulty and 7.500 execution to clinch a bronze medal.
The 17-year-old Ruivivar finished behind Chinese Yang Fanyuwei (14.566) and North Korean Jon Jang Mi (13.366), who clinched the gold and silver medals, respectively.
Ruivivar snared an Olympic berth last month after finishing as the second best athlete in the uneven bars World Cup series.
Per apparatus, the top two gymnasts who accumulated the highest three-meet point total in the 4-leg World Cup series would be rewarded with an Olympic slot.
This is what Malabuyo failed to accomplish despite being on pace to take the second spot in the floor exercise event, finishing 10th in the Doha leg of the World Cup series last month.
But the setback only made Malabuyo stronger as she rose above the pressure to clinch an Olympic berth and even a gold medal.
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