Filipa Martins’ unprecedented qualification for the all-around final of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris is a “great joy” and a “giant step” for Portuguese artistic gymnastics, which the federation’s president will consider this Monday.
“It’s a great joy, we are all euphoric, on cloud nine. A feat and a giant step for national artistic gymnastics. A historic moment. It’s hard to find words after the work, the spirit of sacrifice, the willpower of Filippa and her coaches. José Ferreirinha and Joana Carvalho, from the club, from the association… everyone who has accompanied her throughout these decades, starting with her first coach, Cristina Gomes,” Luis Arraiz praised in a conversation with Lusa.
Filipa Martins secured one of the 24 spots in the Paris 2024 final with 53.166 points, including 14.133 on vault thanks to Yurchenko’s double pirouette, 13.800 on asymmetrical parallels, her specialty, 12.633 on floor exercise and 12.600 on balance beam.
“Filipa has done a great job, a great will, a great motivation and a great spirit of sacrifice. This is a gigantic achievement. An achievement that has been desired for decades, and it has finally happened,” the leader congratulated.
Acro Clube da Maia’s gymnastics team finished 37th at Rio 2016 and 43rd at Tokyo 2020, but it was at the age of 28, an unusual age for highly competitive athletes, that she would achieve the best Olympic result of her career.
“Everything is possible with hard work and dedication. This time it was proven that everything is possible thanks to an outstanding athlete who shows all Portuguese gymnasts that dreams are achievable, we just have to have them and then work to achieve them,” reinforced Luis Arraiz.
The federation president now hopes that Filipa Martins can achieve a top place by “improving a little” her results, despite the fact that everything she has achieved so far is “excellent”.
Finally, he congratulated national gymnastics on the “exceptional moment” he said it was experiencing.
“2023 was fantastic, but 2024 is going to be amazing and it’s not over yet…”, concluded Luis Arrias, who followed Filipa Martins’ performance “on site”.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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