Olivia Dunne's former LSU teammate Aleah Finnegan penned an emotional note as she celebrated one year of being an Olympian. The Filipino-American gymnast expressed her gratitude on receiving the opportunity to compete on the biggest stage of the sport and shared how it meant a lot to her as well as her family.After being unable to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics, Aleah Finnegan decided to focus on her NCAA career at Louisiana State University and was away from elite competitions. However, after being encouraged by her mother to represent the Philippines and give her Olympic goal another try, Finnegan got back to the elite circuit and won a medal in the Southeast Asian Games as well as gained qualification to compete in the Artistic Gymnastics Championships.Aleah Finnegan qualified for the Paris Olympics by finishing among the top eight gymnasts at the World Championships and in the process became the first female gymnast from the Philippines to achieve this feat. As a year passed since her appearance at the Paris Olympics, Finnegan penned an emotional note and reflected on her journey.The 22-year-old shared that it had been her goal to become an Olympian since she was five years old, and she was elated to see that all her sacrifices had helped her to fulfill her dream."One year ago today, I became an Olympian 🇵🇭 A goal that ignited when I was 5 years old. Gymnastics aside, this day meant so much to me and my family. Sacrifices, countless hours, years of training, for a moment so much bigger than us," she wrote.Moreover, she thanked her coaches, teammates, and the staff members of the Philippine National Team for their incredible support throughout the quadrennial games."Thank you to every coach, teammate, and member of the Philippine National Team and staff for the greatest support system I could ever ask for. From my first meet in SEA Games to the Olympic Village, a special thank you to @gsgriffeth," she added. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostAleah Finnegan speaks on representing the Philippines at the Paris OlympicsAleah Finnegan in 2025 from the LSU Archive - Source: GettyAleah Finnegan opened up about representing the Philippines in an interview with Mega-Active. The 22-year-old shared that she took it as an opportunity to represent and thank her mother for the incredible support as well as encouragement. Finnegan shared that she was very emotional during her campaign in Paris, as her family held the Olympics very close to their hearts. “Each time I represent the Philippines, I really take it as an opportunity to represent my mom. To thank her, in a way, for all of her support and hard work. I think I cried so much during the trip because the Olympics is something that my family holds near and dear to our hearts. It was such an honor to wear these colors and wear the Filipino flag on my chest, especially on the world’s highest stage. It’s something I’ll take with me for the rest of my life," she said.Moreover, she expressed her pride at being able to represent the Philippines on the biggest stage of the sport.