All 74 countries, athletes accounted for in World Junior Gym tilt

ALL 74 countries and their respective gymnasts vying in the 3rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics Junior World Championships kicking off on Thursday at the Manila Marriot Hotel Grand Ballroom within the Newport World Resports in Pasay City are all in and accounted for.

"We would like to welcome all our athletes, coaches and officials who are taking part in the world juniors and we are grateful for their enthusiastic response to our international competition," said Gymnastics Association of the Philippines president Cynthia Carrion yesterday after being informed of the development.

The moving force behind the staging of the global gymnastics spectacle, Carrion said that the contingents began streaming into the country over the weekend for five days thrilling days of action in the tournament backed by the Office of the President, Philippine Sports Commission and the Department of Tourism.

She noted that the those who will take part in the elite meet sanctioned by th International Gymnastics Federation, known by its French acronym FIG, have already exceeded its past two stagings.

The second World Junior Championships held in Antalya, Turkey drew 64 nations and 283 athletes while the current one likewise supported by Smart/PLDT with Cignal TV as the official broadcaster has already surpassed double the number of campaigners to close to 750.

"This shows the growing interest in this beautiful and dynamic Olympic sport worldwide, so FIG member countries are fielding their promising young gymnasts knowing that this a major stepping stone to their development," added Carrion of competition also supported by Milo, Pocari Sweat and Sen. Pia Cayetano.

Given that this was a golden opportunity for local young gymnasts to be exposed to top caliber play, she was grateful that world gymnastics body allowed the Philippines to field boys and girls squads in the tournament.

They will bannered by Karl Eldrew Yulo, fresh from intensive training in Japan, and Elizabeth Antone, who bagged a silver in the men's vault and bronze in the women's all-around, respectively, in the Asian Artistic Gymnastics Junior Championships in Jecheon, South Korea last June.

"While Paris Olympians Carlos Yulo, Aleah Finnegan and Emma Malabuyo have already proven themselves on the world stage, we need to sustain their gains so this was one of our prime motivations to have the world juniors here," the GAP head said.

"We pray that the exposure of our young gymnasts in this prestigious competition will inspire them to excel and perform better when they move up the senior ranks," Carrion stressed.

On the other hand, she said, "from the initial feedback we are getting, the athletes and officials are pleased by the accessiblity to competition arena so that they don't have to travel far."

All the official hotels -the Manila Marriott Sheraton Manila, Hilton Manila, Belmont Manila, Hotel Okura, Savoy Hotel and Holiday Inn Express - are within walking distance of playing arena, she noted.

A mere stone's throw away from the Ninoy Aquino Intenational Airport Terminal 3, the 3rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics Junior World Championships has Philippine Airlines as its official carrier and St. Luke's Hospital providing the medical and hospital services. DAS