MANILA, Philippines – Levi Jung-Ruivivar stayed in the hunt for a Paris Games berth after reaching the women’s uneven bars final in the Doha, Qatar leg of the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup Series on Wednesday, April 17 (Thursday, April 18, Manila time).

Earning the last spot in the finale, the Filipina-American finished eighth in the qualification with a score of 13.2 points as she boosted her hopes of joining compatriots Carlos Yulo and Aleah Finnegan in the Olympics.

Jung-Ruivivar, 17, can book her ticket to Paris by ranking in the top two of the uneven bars at the end of the four-leg World Cup Series, which concludes in Doha.

She entered Doha with 44 points in the Olympic rankings after amassing 14 points for 13th place in Cairo, Egypt, 12 points for 12th place in Cottbus, Germany, and 18 points for eighth place in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Algeria’s Kaylia Nemour topped the qualification with 15.4 points followed by individual neutral athlete Alena Tsitavets of Belarus with 13.666 points and Georgia-Rose Brown of New Zealand with 13.4 points.

Sweden’s Nathalie Westlund (13.4), Portugal’s Filipa Martins (13.366), Belgium’s Maellyse Brassart (13.266), and Ukraine’s Anna Lashchevska (13.233) complete the final cast.

Only eligible athletes are ranked for Olympic qualification, so Nemour, Martins, and Lashchevska – who already clinched their Paris spots through the World Artistic Gymnastics Championship last year – are excluded.

It means even if Nemour, Martins, and Lashchevska occupy the top three in the uneven bars final, the fourth placer will be considered the highest eligible athlete and will be rewarded 30 points.

The corresponding points for each placing in the Doha leg are 30 for first, 25 for second, 20 for third, 18 for fourth, 16 for fifth, 14 for sixth, 12 for seventh, and 10 for eighth.

Thus, Jung-Ruivivar can get a minimum of 16 points and a maximum of 30 points in Doha as only five gymnasts are left fighting for spots.

Additionally, with only the three highest scores out of the four World Cup legs will be accounted for Olympic qualification, Jung-Ruivivar will finish with at least 48 points and 62 points at most.

Brown, who leads the pack with 50 points garnered from just two World Cup legs, is mathematically guaranteed of a Paris berth as she is set to end up with a minimum of 66 points and a maximum of 80 points.

That leaves Jung-Ruivivar battling Westlund (47 points), Tsitavets (30 points), and Brassart (25 points) for the last Olympic seat available in the apparatus.

The uneven bars final is scheduled on Friday, April 19.

Meanwhile, Yulo missed out on winning a medal in men’s floor exercise for back-to-back World Cup legs as he failed to make the final.

Yulo, who bagged a floor exercise bronze in Baku, finished 21st in the qualification with 12.666 points.

The former world champion, though, can redeem himself on Thursday, April 18, as he competes in the men’s vault and parallel bars qualification.

Also seeing action on Thursday is Emma Malabuyo, who will compete in the women’s floor exercise qualification with hopes of solidifying her Olympic bid. – Rappler.com