DIAMNIADIO, Senegal — Armed with resilience and big-stage experience, Team Philippines' artistic gymnastics bets Tchelzy Maayo and Hillarion Palles III are embracing formidable odds as they carry the country's colors at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games here.
While the odds are heavily stacked against the delegation—with national coach Reyland Capellan pointing out that the Philippines is limited to just a two-athlete contingent competing solely in the individual all-around events at the Dakar Exhibition Center—the spirit within the camp remains high.
Maayo dives into the women’s individual all-around action on Sunday, looking to translate her international experience into a stellar outing. Just months after narrowly missing the podium by a single point at the Asian Juniors Championships in Zunyi, China, the confident 17-year-old stalwart is keeping her eyes locked on execution over expectations.
“I’ve been having fun so far as I try to get focused,” said Maayo, who boasts at least nine overseas competitions under her belt since 2017. “I’ll perform my best, medal or not.” Her teammate, Palles, already kicked off his campaign in the men’s individual all-around on Saturday, showcasing his strengths on the vault and high bar.
Coach Capellan noted that powerhouse gymnastics nations like Japan and China arrived with full squads, making a podium finish a steep mountain to climb given that gymnasts must excel across all apparatuses. However, the national mentor remains proud of his wards' readiness to battle powerhouse fields on the global stage.
As Maayo takes to the floor and vault apparatuses on Sunday, Team Philippines looks to its young gymnasts to set a fierce, competitive tone for the rest of the country's campaign in Senegal. TMT
