Olympian Ruivivar ‘proud’ of PH women’s gymnastics team’s performance in Asiad

NAGOYA — Olympian Levi Ruivivar expressed pride and optimism following the sixth-place finish of the Philippine Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Team in the Women’s Team Final at the 20th Asian Games.

Team Philippines moved up one spot from the qualifications, finishing with a total score of 147.763 points in the Women’s Team Final on Wednesday.

Ruivivar represented the country alongside 2025 Southeast Asian Games silver medalist Haylee Garcia, Kylee Kvamme, Chiara Andrew, and Lauren Supnet.

China took home the gold medal, Japan bagged silver, and DPR Korea clinched the bronze.

“I’m honestly so proud of us, like just to see the growth of this team over the last few years and then even just over this meet in general. We did a training camp before this and now, you know, we came here, so we’ve been spending a lot of time together and just building trust with one another,” Ruivivar told POC Media.

“We went out there and we showed our gymnastics, and we proved to everybody that we deserve to be here. Team Philippines is something the people should be watching and pouring into,” she added.

Ruivivar noted that the team’s camaraderie and positive energy were key factors in their improved performance during the team final.

“I think we just got together as a team and kind of tried to strategize what we felt most comfortable competing and where we felt like the lineups would be most beneficial for our team,” she explained.

“And then also, it really was the attitude and what we felt going into this meet. We tried to take some of the pressure off, just enjoy the performance aspect of it, let loose a little bit more, and give each other more energy and support throughout the competition,” Ruivivar added.

The Olympian believes the future looks bright for Philippine gymnastics, particularly on the women’s side, given the current pool of talent.

“I truly believe in us as a team that we can qualify for the Olympics. I think there’s so much talent on this team, and we’re all working really hard. It’s just about putting the routines together and hitting under pressure. I think the more experience, training, and time we have as a team will really allow us to get to that next level,” she said.

Ruivivar also expressed deep gratitude to the Filipinos who have been supporting the team throughout their journey.

“We really are trying to push excellence in Filipino gymnastics, and we’ve gotten so much support and love from everybody in the Philippines who’s cheering us on. It doesn’t go unnoticed, guys. It really doesn’t,” Ruivivar shared.

“We love you so much. Every comment and every message that I get from anybody in the Philippines really warms my heart. I’m truly grateful and honored to be representing the Philippines,” she added.