Pinay athlete swims into Britain’s Got Talent finals

LONDON - British Filipino swimmer Jazmine Stansbury has made it into the finals of Britain’s Got Talent (BGT) with underwater act Aquabatique.

The synchronised swimming group secured a place in the finals after a James Bond-inspired number complete with shimmering gold swimwear and soundtrack from the film series.

“The whole James Bond vibe was amazing. You look great. And it’s so relevant with the Olympics. You guys are inspirational,” enthused popstar Alesha Dixon, a judge on the show.

The group made a splash in the competition with their elegant water tank performances that wowed audiences and the judges.

British Filipino swimmer Jazmine Stansbury. Photo Grab from Youtube video

“What I liked about the act is I kind of got patriotic. It made me feel proud and you look amazing," said entertainment mogul Simon Cowell in an episode.

Comedian David Walliams, who previously hired the act for his wedding, also said: “You need real grace and beauty to do that and you girls got both. I was completely blown away.”

Founded in 2011, Aquabatique is made up of ex-Olympic team swimmers Jazmine Stansbury, Zoe Cooper, Emily Kuhl and Beth Smith, who collectively perform and compete internationally.

Stansbury, 23, a British Filipino athlete from Wokingham, told the Reading Post: “To make the live BGT finals is amazing, if only to raise the profile of what we feel is still a vastly under-appreciated sport.”

Coming from a sporting family - her twin brother is a soccer player, and her father a keen sportsman - she was part of the British Olympic squad until last year, with whom she trained approximately 60 hours a week.

“We brought her up and trained her from the age of 10. She tried swimming, football, and long jump. And with what she’s doing now, they’re doing well. I’m proud and very pleased,” her father, Derek Stansbury, told ABS-CBN Europe.

Olympic medalist Tom Daley, a friend of the group, has also been showing his support through his Twitter account by encouraging fans to vote for Aquabatique. He tweeted: “Aquabatique were awesome. Everyone vote for them!!!”

Britain’s Got Talent is a national search for variety acts in the UK offering the opportunity to perform at the Royal Variety Show in front of British royals.

The BGT grand finals will air on ITV1 at 7:30pm BST on May 12.