MANILA – Six Negros Occidental-based gymnasts have captured medals during the 1st MK Rhythmic Gymnastics International Online Competition hosted by Bacolod City-based MK Gymnastic recently.
Kiana Marie Alagaban of Bacolod Tay Tung High School nabbed two gold medals in the Level 4 Senior Category ball and hoop, while Althea Descutido of Trinity Christian School also got gold in the Level 4 Senior Category club and ribbon.
St. Scholastica’s Academy’s Bianca Isabelle Celis, meanwhile, won gold medals in the Level 4 Junior Category ribbon and ball. Bacolod Tay Tung’s Matthea Given Efenio, on the other hand, finished with gold in the Level 4 Pre-Junior Category ball and ribbon.
Kryztahl Jade Manalo of St. Scholastica’s Academy settled for silver in ball and bronze in freehand in the Level 3 Pre-Junior Category as Jilian Krishna dela Cruz of Bacolod Tay Tung has bronze medals in Level 2 Pre-Junior Category freehand and ball.
Around 120 gymnasts from 21 clubs in Hongkong, Mexico, Germany, Australia, France, and Philippines participated in the first-ever international rhythmic gymnastics event organized in the Philippines.
A total of 90 gold, 49 silver and 33 bronze medals were handed out to the podium finishers from different categories namely baby, developmental, pre-junior, junior, and senior. Aside from the categories, the awards were also based also on the year of birth of the gymnasts and the apparatus used in performing the routine such as freehand, ball, hoop, clubs, rope, and ribbon.
“What drove us to organize this online competition is our desire to promote the sport of rhythmic gymnastics even during this time of pandemic,” said MK Gymnastics co-founder Ma. Kristina Alagaban.
“We wanted to provide the opportunity for gymnasts, not only here in the Philippines but also from other countries, to perform and showcase their skills even with the use of technology and online means,” added Kris Joy Leeping, also a co-founder of the Bacolod City-based gymnastic club.
The 1st MK Rhythmic Gymnastics International Online Competition was organized by MK Gymnastics Club in partnership with Samsung and Smart Communications./PN
