August 7th 2024.
Jake Jarman, a talented gymnast from Team GB, recently won the bronze medal in the men's floor competition at the Olympics. He has expressed his desire to potentially represent the Philippines in the future, but for now, he is focused on competing for Great Britain at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Born in Peterborough to a British father and a Filipina mother, Jarman spent two years living in the Philippines when he was between the ages of three and five. As an athlete with dual citizenship, he has the option to represent both nations. However, there is a requirement that an individual must have spent three years since their last competition for their former country before being able to compete for their new one. This rule may be waived by the IOC Executive Board if an agreement is reached with the relevant National Olympic Committee.
Before the Paris Olympics, Cynthia Carrion, the president of the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines, hinted that Jarman may switch allegiances for the 2028 Games. She stated that he "wants to compete for the Philippines" and that a letter would be sent to the FIG (International Gymnastics Federation) to seek permission for this change.
During an interview with the Philippine Olympic Committee media, Jarman was asked about Carrion's comments and he clarified that he currently has no plans to leave Team GB. However, he did mention that he may consider representing the Philippines later in his career if the rules allow it. "For me, competing for the Philippines would be amazing, but it's hard for me to make a decision like that at the moment," Jarman said. "I have family back in the UK, but I'm not closing any doors. Maybe in the future, I will still be at my best and able to compete for the Philippines."
At the Tokyo Olympics, Jarman received immense support from the Philippines, his mother's home country. He expressed his gratitude, saying, "I just want to say thank you. To have the support I'm seeing online from the other side of the world is mind-blowing to me. I never thought I'd be in a position like this. It means the world to me."
Jarman's performance on the floor, which scored 14.933, earned him the bronze medal. In response, he said, "I'm at a loss for words. This medal means everything to me. I couldn't have done it without the support of the people in my life. I hope I've made them proud. Honestly, I couldn't be happier."
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