Maxine Bondoc, 13, Sabina Tayag , 14, Cielo Esliza, 15 of the Learn and Train Sports Academy are part of the Philippines’ delegation to the 18th Junior and 12th Senior Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Asian Championships in South Korea.

For the first time, the Philippines will send a full team of junior gymnasts to the 18th Junior and 12th Senior Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Asian Championships in Jecheon, South Korea from June 12-15.

The roster selections were made after the successful GAP Challenge 2025 and succeeding evaluations, as announced by the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP).

Three of the five athletes chosen by GAP for the junior team were trained locally, marking a milestone for grassroots gymnastics development in the country.

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“It’s a meaningful step forward for the grassroots level,” said Sid Castro-Tayag, president of Learn and Train Sports Academy (LTSA), a local gymnastics club that offers a specific international training program. “It shows that top-level gymnasts can come from local programs.”

The junior national team competing in Jecheon includes Elisabeth Antone and Tallula Antonino Nandres, alongside Cielo Esliza, Maxine Bondoc, and Sabina Tayag—all developed through LTSA.

Meanwhile, the senior team is bannered by Lauren Supnet, Cadyn Nicole Nyland, Haylee Garcia, Zayanna Enriiquez, and Llya Escoses–also an LTSA product.

GAP said another evaluation is scheduled to determine which gymnasts will be assigned to each apparatus, allowing the “gymnasts to better prepare for their respective events.”

GAP has been working with local clubs to strengthen grassroots gymnastics, with a focus on training athletes through structured local programs and regular competition exposure.