Harvey Nuique of Davao City closed out his final Batang Pinoy in spectacular fashion, ruling the senior trampoline gymnastics (15–17) division with four gold medals and a silver in the 2025 national gymnastics championships in General Santos City.
Nuique topped the individual trampoline, tumbling, individual all-around, and the team event with partner Jhelix Wyne Basinang, cementing his place as Davao City’s most bemedaled athlete in this year’s youth games as of Wednesday night, October 29. He settled for silver in double mini.
The 17-year-old Grade 12 student from Holy Child College of Davao said he never expected to finish his Batang Pinoy career with such a flourish, especially after training for only two weeks.
“I feel happy and overwhelmed. I’m so happy that I still got it in just two weeks’ training,” Nuique told SunStar Davao via Messenger.
From sideline spectator to standout
Nuique first stepped into the gym at age eight, tagging along while watching his older sister train. He started imitating the athletes on the side until a coach noticed he had potential.
"I started by just watching my Ate trained (I just watched my older sister while she trained),” he recalled. “Then I suddenly became interested in the sport. I tried what the other athletes were doing, then the coach told me I had potential. I trained and became one of the medalists in Davao.”
Since then, gymnastics has been his home. His family has remained his greatest source of strength, along with the coaches and supporters who encouraged him to continue growing.
“It’s for young athletes who also dream of achieving something like this,” he said. “My supporters inspire me, especially my family, who are always there for me.”
A steady climb
Nuique’s Batang Pinoy story reads like a slow-burning ascent, each year building on the last.
In 2023 in Manila, he first hinted at what was coming, pocketing one gold, two silvers, and a bronze. It was a promising breakout, the kind that makes coaches take a second look.
By 2024 in Puerto Princesa, he was no longer just a kid with potential; he arrived as a contender and swept four gold medals, leaving no doubt about his place among the country’s best young gymnasts.
Now in 2025 in General Santos City, Nuique delivered again: four more golds and a silver, a winning close to his Batang Pinoy run that affirmed his rise from curious beginner to one of Davao City’s most decorated youth athletes.
Nuique said each competition felt light and enjoyable despite nerves.
“I didn’t feel pressured,” he said. “Other LGUs were so nice that it felt like regular games. But of course, I still got nervous because I could make mistakes, so I tried my best to reach the highest medal.”
His back-to-back golden haul only reinforced his belief that his journey is far from over.
Eyes on a bigger purpose
More than building his own collection, Nuique dreams of lifting other young athletes.
“My dream is to help other athletes become known in the city,” he said. “I want to share my knowledge, inspire, encourage, and help them feel what I felt during and after my competitions.”
His school, Holy Child College of Davao, celebrated his feat on social media, calling his latest five-medal harvest “an incredible haul” and praising his consistency and excellence.
As his Batang Pinoy chapter closes, Nuique leaves a legacy not defined only by medals but by the story of a young boy who once watched from the sidelines and chose to soar. MLSA