Biles wannabe puts on Batang Pinoy show

MANILA, Philippines —  An avid Simone Biles fan in Llya Clarysse De Matta Escoses made heads turn with a three-gold medal harvest as reigning champion Baguio City and Cebu City engaged in a neck-to-neck race for the overall championship in the penultimate day of the 2023 Batang Pinoy national finals.

Biñan City’s Escoses, daughter of former national shuttler Lloyd, bounced and twisted her way to golds in the uneven bars (8.25), balance beam (10.55) and individual all-around (40.35) of the women’s artistic gymnastics FIG junior for the biggest haul in Day 4 of the BP competition.

She followed the lead of Manila’s Karl Eldrew Yulo, brother of world champion Caloy, and San Juan’s Maria Celina Angela Gonzales with seven and four gold medals, respectively, as the most bemedaled gymnasts.

Another Caloy sibling in Elaiza Andriel Yulo of Manila also made her own name in the same event by winning the FIG junior’s vault (12) and floor exercise (11.3).

“It feels very exciting and something unexpected because I was competing against the whole Philippines. All the hardwork and effort I put into this paid off. The feeling is surreal,” said Llya, accompanied by her father and her mother Lynne.

Llya, 15, said she drew inspiration from no less than her dad, now a badminton coach after a decorated national team career.

“One of my biggest idols and inspirations is my dad. I hope to also be like him,” said the national junior training pool member, who trains with Learn And Train Sports Academy in Makati but represents her hometown Biñan.

Escoses has already competed in Singapore and Thailand invitationals, with an upcoming stint in Hong Kong in January but the ultimate goal is donning the national colors in the SEA Games, Asian Games and the Olympics – like her idol.

“I really hope I would be as near as where Simone is right now,” she beamed.

As different budding stars continued to flash brilliance, three-peat titlist Baguio met a strong challenger in Cebu City in the medal race with similar tally of 17 gold medals entering the final day of the multi-sport grassroots program of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).