A cycling track built for speed just became a stage for flight. Today, August 5, the Tagaytay CT Velodrome traded its usual roar of racing wheels for tumbling routines and pounding music as the 10th Aero Gymnastics Asian Championships officially opened, transforming the volcano-view city into a three-day battleground for nearly 400 gymnasts from 12 countries across Asia.

Presented by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and organized by the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP), the continental showcase carries the theme “Leap, Dance, One Asia” — and from the opening ceremony alone, it’s clear the event is chasing more than just medals. It’s chasing a moment on the region’s sports map.

A World-Class Stage Two Years in the Making

The last edition of the Aero Gymnastics Asian Championships was held in Hanoi, Vietnam, in 2024. Two years later, the tournament returns with a significant upgrade: a UCI-certified velodrome reconfigured specifically for the occasion, now fitted with three competition floors and a 3,000-seat gallery for fans.

GAP president Cynthia Carrion, who has overseen the event’s buildup, called the championships “an entertaining and dynamic festival” built around harmony, unity, and camaraderie among the region’s aerobic gymnasts — even inside a competitive arena. She added that hosting the meet in Tagaytay, at a venue transformed for the purpose, would make for “a unique and memorable experience” for both athletes and fans.

Organizers have also leaned on the momentum of the country’s successful staging of the 3rd Artistic Gymnastics Junior World Championships last year, producing an original music video, “One Asia, One Victory,” to accompany the tournament. The initiative has backing beyond the sport itself, drawing support from the Philippine Olympic Committee, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), and the Tagaytay City government under Mayor Brent Tolentino.

Adding a local flourish to the competition, winners will receive custom medals featuring Taal Lake and Taal Volcano — turning the podium moment into a keepsake of the host city itself. Mascots “Bughaw” and “Lila,” dressed in aerobic tights and leotards for the occasion, round out the tournament’s festival energy.

Turning Tagaytay Into Asia’s Next Sports-Tourism Hotspot

Beyond the competition floor, the championships are being positioned as a tourism play. PSC Chairman Patrick “Pato” Gregorio, who also heads the National Sports Tourism Interagency Committee, framed the event as part of a broader strategy: using international sporting events to spotlight top domestic destinations like Tagaytay.

“While local tourists are already aware of its reputation as a great tourist destination, there are still a lot of foreigners who may not know Tagaytay’s natural and man-made charms,” Gregorio said.

He pointed visiting athletes and officials toward some of the city’s signature attractions — the People’s Park in the Sky, known for its panoramic views of Taal Lake and home to the Shrine of Our Lady Mother of Fair Love, and the Tagaytay Picnic Grove, a family-friendly outdoor spot where visitors can bring their own food while taking in the lake views. For those craving something warmer in Tagaytay’s cool climate, Gregorio suggested a visit to the nearby Mahogany Beef Market for a bowl of bulalo, the Filipino beef and bone marrow soup.

“Tagaytay City nearly has everything a tourist can offer in a compact and cool location,” Gregorio said. “We are certain that our athletes and officials will be leaving the country with fond memories of the place in spending their time there.”

With action underway at the newly reimagined velodrome, the 10th Aero Gymnastics Asian Championships runs through the weekend, closing out a three-day event that organizers hope will leave a lasting mark — both in the record books and on Tagaytay’s growing reputation as a host city for major international sport.