Gymnastics Association of the Philippines president Cynthia Carrion Norton said Carlos Yulo will concentrate on training in Japan, after winning three golds, a share of a team silver medal, and a bronze in the recent 32nd Southeast Asian Games.
Carlos’ most recent achievements were his haul of three golds, a silver, and a bronze in the 2023 Asian Artistic Gymnastics in Singapore over the weekend. Yulo’s efforts in the Asian meet earned him qualification slots in the World meet, along with Aleah Finnegan and Kyla Kvamme.
With the three claiming seats for the world championships, Finnegan and Kvamme will resume training in the United States for their next competitions.
“I hope he will qualify for the Olympics, and that is what we are really fighting for. Aleah and Kyla will continue training in the US with their coaches,” said Norton.
As for Emma Lauren Malabuyo, the newest member of the national team who recently moved over from Team USA, she will be tapped for the Asian Games with Phnom Penh Southeast Asian Games gold winners Juancho Miguel Besana and John Ivan Cruz.
While these athletes are going to Belgium, we also have two athletes for the Asian Games,” said Norton, who discussed their plans with PSC chairman Richard Bachmann and commissioner Bong Coo at the PSC offices at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
Phnom Penh Southeast Asian Games gold winners Juancho Miguel Besana and John Ivan Cruz, who will train in Japan with Yulo and coach Munehiro Kugimiya, will lead the national men’s squad to the Asiad.
On the women’s side, Malabuyo will be with Ancilla Lucia Mari Manzano, Kursten Rogue Lopez, and Lucia Gabriel Guttierez to get ready for the Asiad with Naomi Soco as their coach.
“I was hoping to send Ivan to Japan. I was talking to chairman Bachmann about this,” said Norton.
Yulo is among the most bemedaled athletes in the SEA Games and is set to get at least P250,000 from the Philippine Olympic Committee incentives, which were drawn from the support of the Manuel V. Pangilinan Sports Foundation (MVPSF) to the POC Trust Fund initiated by its president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.
The funds were turned over to the POC following the celebration of the Olympic Day on Friday morning at the University of the Philippines (UP) Track and Field Oval.