KARL Eldrew Yulo will share the spotlight with the world’s best like Yang Lanbin of China when action begins Thursday in the 3rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics Junior World Championships at the Manila Marriott Hotel Grand Ballroom in Pasay City.
Eldrew, the younger brother Paris Olympics’ double gold medallist Carlos Yulo, is expected to make a splash as he competes with elite level gymnasts at the 15-to-16-year-old level in the championships that drew 846 entries from 77 nations.
Yang’s presence is expected to push Eldrew to show his best foot forward.
As the all-around silver medallist from last year’s Junior Asian Championships, Yang will try to duplicate another Chinese champion Qin Guohuan’s winning effort from 2023.
In 2024, Yulo started shining when he won five medals, including two golds at the Pacific Rim Championships, the same meet where his brother Carlos first received international recognition in 2016.
The 16-year-old Yulo will be competing with his young teammates, Hilario Palles III, Anthony Palles and CJ Pernia, who have excelled in the Batang Pinoy and at the Palarong Pambansa.
With an injury sidelining Eldrew’s sister Elaiza, Batang Pinoy standouts Sabina Tayag, Maxine Bondoc , Jellian Bantilan and Elisabeth Antone will get valuable exposure on their first international stints.
Antone recently claimed a vault silver and an individual all-around bronze in the Asian Junior Championships in Jecheon, South Korea last June.
Among the world’s best that they will face are Japan’s Rinon Muneta, Charleigh Bullock and Angel Barajas from the United States, Elena Colas from Spain, and Hezly Rivera from Puerto Rico.
Colas and Rinon are the reigning women’s Junior European and Junior Asian All-Around champions, respectively, while Bullock has earned five gold medals at the Junior Pan American Games earlier this year.
FIG president Moranari Watanabe said there are a lot of talented gymnasts who are expected to shine, not just medal-rich entries from China and Japan.
Action begins on Thursday with the rotations for the boys’ individual qualification and team finals at around 10 p.m.
