FIG Artistìc Gymnastics Jr World C'ship...PINAYS' BEST NOT ENOUGH FOR ALL AROUND QUALIFIERS

PASAY CITY-Despite the hometown cheers but under a global spotlight, Filipina gymnasts Elizabeth Antone, Maxine Bondoc and Jellian Bantilan gamely played but failed to make grade in the FIG Artistic Gymnastics Junior World Championships late Friday night.

With the predominantly Filipino crowd rooting for them at the Manila Marriott Hotel Grand Ballroom at the Newport World Resorts here, all three of them were still jittery, unable to perform their best and go beyond the team and individual all-around qualifiers.

Even Antone, an all-around bronze medalist in the Asian Junior Championships in Jecheon, South Korea last June, was not as sharp as before and dropped to 37th place with a total output of 47.632 points in the meet backed by the Office of the President, Philippine Sports Commission and Philippine Amusement ang Gaming Corportation.

The Fil-Am bet had 12.600, 11.366, 11.533 and nd floor exercises, respectively, over four events in the competition where the top 24 qualifiers advance to the individuall all-around finals set for yesterday, Saturday.

The next best PH performer was Bondoc in 91st place with 41.299 points while Bantilan 107th place with 39.199 points in the meet also backed by Smart/PLDT, Milo, Pocari Sweat, Sen. Pia Cayetano and Cignal TV as the official broadcaster.

Elisabeth Antone strikes a pose in the floor exercise of the 3rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics Junior World Championships women's all-around qualifiers last Friday night at the Manila Marriott Grand Ballroom inside the Newport World Resorts in Pasay City.

Elisabeth Antone shows fine form on the balance beam of the 3rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics Junior World Championships women's all-around qualifiers last Friday night at the Manila Marriott Grand Ballroom inside the Newport World Resorts in Pasay City.

Maxine Bondoc is set to perform on the uneven bars of the 3rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics Junior World Championships women's all-around qualifiers last Friday night at the Manila Marriott Grand Ballroom inside the Newport World Resorts in Pasay City.

Jellian Bantilan does a somersault on the balance beam of the 3rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics Junior World Championships women's all-around qualifiers last Friday night at the Manila Marriott Grand Ballroom inside the Newport World Resorts

"I am disappointed a little bit and I know that I could have done better. I just want to improve for next time," said Antone, adding that "compared to the Asian juniors in Korea this was compressed a little bit, a different arena."

Youngest at 13, Bondoc fell twice on uneven bars, netting her lowest score of 8.933 points, then sobbed into the arms of her reserve teammate Sabina Tayag after the incident.

But shrugging off her struggles and just like a real trouper, Bondoc was all smiles at mixed zone, acknowledging that "I was really nervous because this is something that I really worked hard for because if do my routines right I know I can do really well."

Tayag understood how her teammate felt so consoled her, saying: "She (Bondoc) has been really been working very hard so making a mistake like that can be very dispirited. So I showed her I cared."

Paris Olympic Games veteran Emma Malabuyo, who served as one of the broadcast annotators, could emphathize with the plight of her junior teammates who vied in the tournament also backed by Sen. Pia Cayetano, Philippine Airlines as the official carrier and Saint Lukes Hospital as the official medical services provider.

"One of my favorite quotes is 'to keep on swimming' and even though you've made mistakes, it's not the end of the world. It's all for gaining experience and learning to handle the pressure a little bit better," Malabuyo said.

"It just means to go back in the gym and work a little bit more." DAS

Maxine Bondoc (right) is consoled by her coach after slipping on the uneven bars of of the 3rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics Junior World Championships women's all-around qualifiers last Friday night at the Manila Marriott Grand Ballroom inside the Newport World Resorts in Pasay City.