This post was updated July 29 at 5:06 p.m.

Correction: The original version of this article misspelled Tokyo in a sentence. 

Emma Malabuyo’s road to the Olympics has been long, to say the least.

“It’s been my dream ever since I was a little girl,” the rising senior said. “I feel like it’s so much more than that because I also get to represent my culture, my community, and I’m just so thankful to have this opportunity.”

2024 proved to be her time.

After failing to punch her 2024 Paris Olympic ticket via the World Cup series, Malabuyo qualified for the Games after placing third in all-around at the Asian Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

UCLA gymnastics coach Janelle McDonald will guide Malabuyo in Paris – both representing the Philippines.

Malabuyo will join the Bruins’ storied list of Olympians as the first to represent the Philippines. Despite being one of many Bruin competitors, McDonald said Malabuyo’s impact on the program will endure.

“Our entire team takes pride in the history and the tradition of our program and the people that have came before her,” McDonald said. “For Emma to be etched forever as a UCLA Olympian is something that we’re really proud of and excited about.”

While this year’s Games will mark Malabuyo’s first time representing her home country on that stage, her journey to the Olympics began several years ago.

In 2018, Malabuyo became a senior international elite and was finally age-eligible for major international competitions such as World Championships and the Olympics. Coach Kim Zmeskal worked with Malabuyo in Coppell, Texas, at Texas Dreams Gymnastics to help Malabuyo in pursuit of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Zmeskal – the first American World all-around champion in 1991 – has been at Malabuyo’s side throughout her entire career. The 1992 Olympic bronze medalist first started as her coach in 2013.

“She has all of the components … and she’s got what it takes,” Zmeskal said. “To watch her walk through this process, it’s been very fulfilling for all of us standing by her.”

In Malabuyo’s senior debut at the City of Jesolo Trophy in Italy, she placed first in the all-around, beam and floor.

But a fractured tibia in 2019 cut yet another season short.

“You have to be willing to walk through it knowing that it may not happen,” Zmeskal said. “That’s how she went about it, so we’re all really proud of her.”

After spending two years with injuries leading up to the 2020 Olympics, the postponement of the Games due to the COVID-19 pandemic provided Malabuyo another year to get healthy.

“She was locked in going for making the Olympic team,” Zmeskal said. “The way she went about that has exploded into this very confident young woman who’s taking ownership of every part of this.”

Malabuyo took the 2021 season by storm, placing fourth at the national championships to earn a spot at the U.S. Olympic Trials. At the Trials, Malabuyo hit seven of her eight routines and was named an alternate for Team USA.

While being named alternate for 2021 wasn’t her ultimate goal, Malabuyo embraced the opportunity.

“We said, ‘Be as good as you can be for yourself.’ If that ends up being (her) going to have her name called, that she would be able to confidently step in,” Zmeskal said. “She took it as the honor that it truly is.”

The Tokyo Olympics was quiet. The broadcast showed empty arenas with no fans – not the experience anyone had expected or hoped for. Families were forced to watch from home, thousands of miles away, while athletes like Malabuyo reached the pinnacle of their careers.

But in the post-COVID-19 era, the Games will be back to normal.

Fans will pack the stands for Olympic gymnastics for the first time since 2016.

“In Tokyo, I felt like I was in jail,” Malabuyo said. “I’d be eating every meal by myself in my room, so that was very different. Now, I get to enjoy the fresh air. I get to talk to people.”

Following the Tokyo Games, Malabuyo thought she was done with elite gymnastics.

Instead, a lingering itch to compete motivated her to come back for the 2024 Olympics – this time representing the Philippines.

To qualify, Malabuyo decided to pursue the World Cup series – where gymnasts are ranked based on their placements in each event. After a series of competitions, the gymnasts who rank top two in the points system earn Olympic qualifications.

Malabuyo dove into the challenge head-on. While she was considered an all-around gymnast, Malabuyo decided to hone in on beam and floor – her two strongest events.

She notched a 14.600 on beam on day two of the U.S. championships in 2021 – a score that would have been good enough for the silver medal in the Tokyo beam final, had she qualified. On floor, Malabuyo competed some of the most difficult tumbling in the world, including a double-twisting double tuck and a double layout.

The first three World Cup competitions were kind to Malabuyo. She became one of the frontrunners to earn the spot on floor, racking up 69 points with just one competition to go – sitting in second place in the points system.

In the final meet of the World Cup series, Malabuyo struggled on floor in qualification, scoring a 12.533 and failing to advance to the final. Laura Casabuena of Spain knocked her out of second place, ending Malabuyo’s bid for the Olympics.

“I was so heartbroken, and I don’t think I’ve ever been in such a low point in my life before,” Malabuyo said.

One last chance remained for Malabuyo at the Asian Championships.

At each continental championship, one qualification spot is allocated to the top eligible all-around competitor. But, Malabuyo hadn’t competed in the all-around in international competition since 2019.

However, Malabuyo scored a 50.398 – securing the all-around bronze medal and a spot in Paris.

“I was so happy that all my hard work paid off,” Malabuyo said. “Thinking about how I did it for my family, I did it for my coaches and for the Philippines too.”

While Malabuyo’s journey to the Olympics was rocky, taking control of her gymnastics has taken her game to the next level.

“I always say, ‘Just remember, you’re leading. You’re driving,’” Zmeskal said. “She has taken ownership of what that is. You can’t sit in the back seat and drive. She’s put both hands on the wheel and hasn’t been afraid.”