The Full Gymnastics Experience

THIRTY-NINE point four degrees Celsius was the reading on the thermometer when I took my daughter's temperature the night before her first gymnastics competition. It was weird for someone who hardly gets sick (which I attribute to her being a fully breast-fed baby). There was neither cough nor colds, just high fever that came from nowhere.

In spite of her high temperature and her feeling weak she was decided get well and join the competition. Her Lolo and Lola were already conditioning her in case she didn’t get well the next day, that it’s okay to forego this one as there will be many more competitions that she can join in the future.  But she was dead set on recovering.

She religiously followed every remedy that would make her get well.  And sure enough, the next day, the fever was gone and she got the go signal from our doctor to join the competition.  It was as if she knew that was to happen.

After only one month of training, she has grown passionate and dedicated to the sport.  And to culminate the summer program, the new gymnasts were to be given the opportunity to experience a real competition.  It was a friendship meet, but still, it was a competition with rules and distinguished judges who would score their performances.

So to prepare for their 4:30pm competition, she got her hair and make up done at Victor Ortega Salon at 12:00 noon.  Even that was all part of the whole experience.  She felt special, and just like a real gymnast.

Ella getting her hair and makeup done at Victor Ortega

At one thirty p.m. they all gathered at the activity center of The District, Ayala North, where the competition was to take place.  Little gymnasts warmed up and did cartwheels, bridges, splits and all sorts of stunts. It was a beautiful sight!

The District Ayalan North Point was the perfect venue for the event

They each were given a chance to practice their routine before the actual competition.  The nervousness and excitement was evident among the gymnasts as family and relatives started filling the audience area. Some gymnasts together with their coaches were even able to experience being interviewed on TV as the GMA news team came to feature the event. 

The GMA News team doing interviews on the young gymnasts

Then it was time to begin. The host for the afternoon, Mr. Adrian Bobe, led the crowd in opening the event, with the Pambansang Awit sung by Ms. Abigaile Capay, Owner of JumpStart, and the opening prayer led by Megan Reyes.  The opening number was an impressive production by all the students from the youngest 3-year-old gymnasts to the most senior 12-year-old gymnasts.  

The gymnasts doing their group production number

As soon as the judges were in place, my daughter Ella was called, being the first to do the solo performance.  As she did her cartwheels and rolls, there was no trace of fever that was there the night before.  She was nervous yet passionate about what she was doing.  I was a proud mom.

The ten other gymnasts who performed were fantastic!  You wouldn’t think that they are new to the sport.  In between solo performances, the artistic group and the rhythmic group performed their group numbers.  After all the performances, 3 gymnasts from Pulupandan performed an exhibition routine.

The full experience happened when Coach Benjamin Capay conducted the awarding.  Although all 11 gymnasts received medals and certificates, they each were scored based on the level of difficulty, execution and choreography. The following were the Gold medalists:  Megan Reyes – 15.5, Jenny Eusebio – 14.4, Malexi Puentevella – 13.9.  The Silver medalists were: Nicole Pura – 12.0, Dominique Infante – 11.5, Angel dela Pena – 10.9.  The Bronze medalists were: Ella Ochoa – 10.3, Rita Cuadra – 10.2, Pauline Velez – 10.1, Keona Sayo – 9.0, Sayana Tabuga – 8.9.

The gymnasts anxiously awaiting the results of the competition

The gymnasts with their medals and certificates with Coach Abi & Coach Benjamin

This was a memorable experience especially for these eleven gymnasts, which fired up their passion for this new sport that they have grown to love over the summer.

Ella with Coach Lady, Coach Jenny and Coach Anna

The happy gymnast

(Published for Breathing Gratitude, Sun Star Lifestyle Section on June 5, 2014)