Finnegan captures second SEA Games gold

BANGKOK — Paris Olympian Aleah Finnegan reaffirmed her status as the brightest star of the women’s artistic gymnastics competition at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, topping the vault apparatus final on Thursday at Gymnasium 5 of Thammasat University in Pathum Thani.

Finnegan clinched her second SEA Games gold—her first coming in 2022 in Hanoi—after posting a 13.433, edging Vietnam’s Thi Quynh Nhu Nguyen (13.400) and Malaysia’s Kang Xian Yeap (12.966).

“This gold is incredibly special,” the 22-year-old said. “A lot has happened behind the scenes, some personal challenges, but I kept pushing through all of it.”

She added that her faith carried her through the moment. “I prayed to Jesus all the time. I am nothing without Him, and I know He is with me.”

The victory came with a brief scare. Moments after Finnegan’s routine, officials flashed an incorrect score on the screen. The American-born Filipina waited nearly 30 minutes before judges corrected the mix-up and officially confirmed her as the gold medalist.

“I was really nervous when they flashed the wrong score,” Finnegan admitted. “We were all trying to figure out how they got that number. It was stressful and confusing, but in the end I’m just thankful everything was corrected.”

Gymnastics Association of the Philippines president Cynthia Carrion said she never doubted the outcome. “From the moment Aleah finished her vault, I knew it was gold. We checked the score because we were sure there was a miscalculation, and I’m grateful the organizers fixed it.”

Finnegan now turns her focus to the balance beam final on Friday at 2:30 p.m.

Meanwhile, Haylee Garcia secured silver in the uneven bars with a score of 12.333, while Justin Ace de Leon added a pair of bronzes in the floor exercise (12.500) and rings (12.700), completing a strong day for the Philippine gymnastics team. (MCO-EM)

Aleah Finnegan won gold gymnastics vault Haley Garcia won silver gymnastics uneven bars Justine Ace De Leon won bronze for floor exercise and bronze for still rings.