BATA pa lamang ay iniukol na ni Tchelzy Maayo ang kanyang sarili sa gymnastics sa pag-asang maging isang Olympian.
Dalawang linggo pa lamang ang nakalilipas, binigyan niya ng karangalan ang Pilipinas nang humakot ng limang gold medals sa 8th International Gymnastics Invitational sa Jakarta, Indonesia.
“I think I did well because I got five gold medals but there’s always room for improvement and I think I can do better,” pahayag ng 10-anyos na si Maayo, na dinomina ang floor exercise, vault, uneven bars, beam at ang individual all-around events sa women’s artistic Level 5 12-and-under category.
Ang kanyang interes sa gymnastics ay nagsimula noong siya ay 5-anyos.
“No one encouraged me. I just wanted it, when I saw videos on YouTube before I told my parents I wanted to do gymnastics,” wika ng Grade 5 student mula sa Southville International School and Colleges sa Las Piñas City.
“Before, I’m a swimmer. But I chose to concentrate on gymnastics because I find it more challenging and fun,” dagdag pa niya.
Noong 2017, si Maayo ay nagwagi ng Philippine Gymnastics and Athletics Academy-STY individual all-around title (3 gold medals at 2 silver medals).
Higit na naging matagumpay ang kanyang kampanya ng sumunod na taon: British School Manila Meet (2 gold medals at 3 silver medals), PGAA -STY Invitational Meet (3 gold medals at 1 silver medal), Bangkok Gymnastics Invitational Meet (Moose Games) sa Thailand (4 gold medals) at Hong Kong International Carnival (1 bronze medal).
Bagama’t puspusan ang kanyang pagsasanay ay hindi niya napabayaan ang kanyang pag-aaral.
“Time management,” aniya nang tanungin kung paano niya napagsasabay ang pag-aaral at pagsasanay.
“I usually do my school stuff before going to the gym, while in the car. Then, when I reach the gym, I’m already ready for training,” sabi pa ni Maayo.
Aniya, alam niya ang kanyang gusto at nakahandang gawin ang lahat para sundan ang yapak ng kanyang mga idolo na sina American gymnasts Simone Arianne Biles at Sunisa Lee.
Si Biles ay nanalo ng pitong Olympic medals at 25 World Championship medals, habang si Lee, ang 2020 Tokyo Olympics all-around champion, ay may anim na world titles.
“I want to compete in the Olympics, just like them,” ani Maayo, miyembro ng Alpha Gymnastics Philippines (AGP) club kung saan nagsasanay rin si Yza Yulo, ang pinakabatang kapatid ni world champion at Olympian Carlos Yulo.
Sinabi ni AGP head coach Dico Joe Ili na si Maayo “is very talented at her age now and for a Filipino talent, she is someone very promising.”
“Tchelzy’s performance is something that she really prepared for. She was not able to join any international competition during the pandemic so it made her excited for that one,” sabi ni Ili hinggil sa five-gold victory ni Maayo. PNA
