Gymnasts Tchelzy Maayo, Hillarion Palles take center stage at Dakar Youth Olympics
The Manila Times · 11/7/2026, 6:36:15 PM Philippine time
Excerpt from The Manila Times. Read the original report below for the complete story.DIAMNIADIO, Senegal — Armed with resilience and big-stage experience, Team Philippines' artistic gymnastics bets Tchelzy Maayo and Hillarion Palles III are embracing formidable odds as they carry the country's colors at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games here.While the odds are heavily stacked against the delegation—with national coach Reyland Capellan pointing out that the Philippines is limited to just a two-athlete contingent competing solely in the individual all-around events at the Dakar Exhibition Center—the spirit within the camp remains high.Maayo dives into the women’s individual all-around action on Sunday, looking to translate her international experience into a stellar outing. Just months after narrowly missing the podium by a single point at the Asian Juniors Championships in Zunyi, China, the confident 17-year-old stalwart is keeping her eyes locked on execution over expectations.“I’ve been having fun so far as I try to get focused,” said Maayo, who boasts at least nine overseas competitions under her belt since 2017. “I’ll perform my best,…