“I knew I wanted to be here. It was my time,” Aleah Finnegan told Olympics.com. “I just graduated. I wanted to have a different environment.”
That’s the mindset that the Filipina gymnast had as she embarked on a new chapter of her sporting career – one that would take her to the other side of the globe.
At 22 years old, the Paris 2024 Olympian wrapped up her historic collegiate career – a résumé that includes helping her Louisiana State University Tigers to their first NCAA team title in 2024 – in April and was looking for something different.
Finnegan, born and raised in the United States, wasn’t just looking for a change of scenery. For her, it was about reconnecting with her heritage and the country she has represented internationally since 2022.
So, in August, she came to Manila to start her adventure. It’s given her the opportunity to “experience [the Philippines] up close and explore a little bit”.
Family helped her settle in, with cousins, aunts and uncles welcoming her. Her mother came for the first month to help her get set up, but soon Finnegan was navigating life independently – training, exploring new coffee shops and soaking up the rhythms of Manila life.
“I just train, and then I go explore the city,” she said. “Maybe it’s a new coffee shop, maybe it’s a new restaurant. I’m slowly making new friends.”
Among those friends are her training partners: members of the Philippines men’s gymnastics team including two-time Olympic gold medallist Carlos Yulo.
“I’ve been training a lot with our men’s team actually,” Finnegan said. “Carlos and the [men’s] team have been really helpful with the training environment, helping me get used to everything, making sure I’m not overdoing it, but still being prepared for the future.”
Finnegan’s August move also marked her return to full-time gymnastics training since the end of her college career some three and a half months prior. That gave her just two months to prepare for October’s World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Jakarta, Indonesia, where she finished 33rd in the all-around standings.