CITING the fruitful results, Philippine Sports Commission chairman Patrick Gregorio underlined why hosting the just-concluded 10th Aero Gymnastics Asian Championships presented by the PSC at the Tagaytay CT Velodrome was good anew for local sports development and tourism.
"This the reason why we host these international events so we can showcase our athletes and enhance their development. So we can give our athletes the opportunity to win at the international level,” Gregorio stressed.
Banking on the hometown edge, Filipino aerobic gymnasts, most of them debuting in international play, bagged one gold, one silver and three bronze medals for a highly successful stint in the meet organized by the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines and sanctioned by the Asian Gymnastics Union.
Highlighting the performance of the local campaigners was the gold by Palarong Pambansa standouts Rhimel Daniel Cabides and Antonette Amante, both 14, who copped the gold in the youth mixed pairs event with 17.80 points in their maiden international appearance.
Also newcomers, General Santos natives Rhys Enoch Balmayor, 11, and John Mikaela Ladaran, 13, garnered bronze the same (17.150) in the meet backed by the Philippine Olympic Committee and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.
"That is grassroots gymnastics at its best. Look at them, so young at 13 and 14 years old. But when they perform, you would think they were already very experienced. The level of confidence is different when you host, and it's different when your hometown is cheering for you," the PSC chief said.
"Hosting international events like these give our athletes, especially our young ones, needed exposure and are great confidence builders."
"Let us not forget that our great Olympians and athletes began at a young age like 10 and 11 years old before they became successful on the international stage," Gregorio said. ”So we shouldn't let go of them anymore."
"At the same, we promoted the country as a sports tourism destination, Tagaytay in particular. We had close to 400 athletes from 12 nations staying for five days," he noted.
"Our hosting of the 10th Aerobic Gymnastics Asian Championships was a complete package: our athletes won medals while we promoted sports tourism. That is the perfect strategy of the Philippine Sports Commission," he stressed.
