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Fil-Am teen gymnast eyes to represent PH in Paris Olympics

The Fil-Am gymnast is hopeful of qualifying for the Paris Olympics through a World Cup event in Qatar.

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Steve Angeles

TFC News

<div><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oOughdK7gJs?&amp;feature=youtu.be&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe> </div>Fresh from three competitions representing the Philippines, 17-year-old Levi Jung Ruivivar is hoping that her performance on the bars at the World Cup in Doha, Qatar can raise the bar when it comes to Philippine gymnastics.Ruivivar aims to clinch a spot at the Paris Olympics through the event, after joining the Philippine team just last year.&quot;I’m really excited about the rest of the season,&quot; she said. &quot;There have been a lot of learning experiences and a lot of challenges but I have everyone supporting me.&quot;Ruivivar said there is also another chance to qualify in the Olympics through the Asian championships if she does not get the spot in Doha.When she first picked up the sport at two years old and began excelling, the Ruivivar family knew that representing the Philippines was a strong possibility.  She has trained her whole life in the U.S. and has earned a scholarship to Stanford University.&quot;I just always had a really strong affinity for the Philippines,&quot; the young athlete said. &quot;I kind of had my heart set on it, we always take about it as a family. It felt right in my heart, and I felt I wanted to be surrounded by the Filipino community.&quot;The Ruivivar family is no stranger to the spotlight. Levi’s grandfather is none other than the late Tony Ruivivar, founding member of the iconic band the &quot;Society of 7.&quot;Her father Anthony, is a Hollywood actor, starring on the early 2000s hit &quot;Third Watch,&quot; and recently appearing in the Disney + adaptation of &quot;Turner &amp; Hooch.&quot; He’s now working on &quot;NCIS: Hawaii.&quot;&quot;It was a big community that Levi was raised in and I think that maybe tipped the scales a little bit,&quot; said Anthony Ruivivar.The family is looking beyond Ruivivar&#x27;s Olympic dreams. The sport can be costly, so along with other families, they set up the non-profit Himnastika to help support Filipino-American gymnasts.“Our hope was to help subsidize those costs for Fil-Am,&quot; said Anthony. &quot;At the same time, [to] also to start to look forward to getting behind the fact that the Philippines hasn’t set a women’s team to the gymnastics. Our hope is that we change that.&quot;Ruivivar is not the only Fil-Am looking for a spot in the Olympics. Current UCLA junior Emma Malabuyo is also in the running to represent the Philippines at the Paris Games this summer.2020 Olympian Carlos Yulo and Fil-Am Aleah Finnegan Cruz have already qualified for Paris.&quot;It would mean so much to make [it] to the Olympics and win some medals for the Philippines,&quot; said Ruivivar.She added: &quot;It also would mean a lot to inspire future generations of Filipinos athletes in gymnastics because that is one of the goals of Himnastika. We&#x27;re really trying to help build the program and get as many people involved as possible.&quot;Ruivivar is currently training in Texas. She will head to Doha later this week where she will continue her practice, leading to the bars competition on April 17, and floor competition the day after.The finals are set on April 19.

The Fil-Am gymnast is hopeful of qualifying for the Paris Olympics through a World Cup event in Qatar.

Fil-Am Levi Jung Ruivivar eyes to represent PH in Paris Olympics

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Fil-Am Levi Jung Ruivivar eyes to represent PH in Paris Olympics

Steve Angeles,

TFC News

Published April 13, 2024 12:41 PM PHT

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