29/06/2025
| From No ONE to Champion
𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐅𝐈𝐋𝐄
𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐞: Breanna "Bree" Labadan
𝐁𝐨𝐫𝐧: July 13, 2006
𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭: Rhythmic Gymnastics
𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬: First Filipina rhythmic gymnast to compete at the World Championships (2022), Bronze Medalist at the 2021 SEA Games, Top 10 finisher at the 2024 Asian Championships, Finalist in the 2024 Senior Asian Championships Ball Event
From a young girl spinning cartwheels in the streets of Butuan to becoming the Philippines’ first rhythmic gymnast on the world stage, Breanna Labadan's journey has been gracefully relentless.
Breanna's potential began at the age of seven in Butuan City when her parents noticed her natural flair for movement and enrolled her in a local gymnastics club. In 2017, at the age of eleven, she moved to Hungary to train under coach Dora Vass, and since then has competed in several European competitions.
Over the years, Breanna represented the Philippines in the 2019 Junior Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in Moscow and later became the first Filipina to compete in the senior-level Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships in 2022, held in Sofia, Bulgaria. She placed 66th in the all-around during her debut.
In 2023, she placed 9th in the all-around at the Asian Championships and followed up with a 12th-place finish at the Asian Games. In 2024, she continued her rise by securing 10th place in the all-around at the Asian Championships.
At the 14th Senior Rhythmic Gymnastics Asian Championships, held at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, Labadan reached the ball event finals, finishing eighth with a score of 28.75 points. All seemed well during her performance until a critical error late in the routine, missing a ball catch with her legs, cost her dearly. The ball slipped past, striking her thigh and rolling away, and it was an unexpected moment for the hometown crowd.
Despite the misstep, Breanna displayed the heart of a true athlete. With her coach by her side and tears brimming, she stood tall, smiled, and graciously waved to the Filipino crowd who rallied behind her.
Her father, Arnold Labadan, who has long played a pivotal role in her development and the sport's local growth, embraced her after the routine. “We practiced this routine in practice and was able to do it, sadly we missed it today,” he shared. “This is going to be a learning experience.”
Though she didn’t achieve the result she hoped for, Breanna’s courage and grace have left an indelible mark, not just in scores but in the hearts of fans who watched her redefine what’s possible for Filipino gymnasts.
From Butuan to Bulgaria, from hard landings to historic breakthroughs, Breanna Labadan continues to twirl her way forward, proving that even the toughest moments can lead to something greater.
Written by Reynalyn Mae Calumpang
Layout by Greg | TPA
