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Friday, March 29, 2024

Yulo broadens arsenal to boost medal chances

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Filipino gymnastics’ star Carlos Yulo is now showing more proficiency in three of six events of the men’s artistic gymnastics.

Carlos Yulo, shown here singing the national antheme during his history win in Stuttgart, will be shooting for  the floor exercises gold in the Tokyo Olympics.

This is expected to give the 21-year-old Yulo better chances of winning in the individual events when he finally competes in the Tokyo Olympics in three weeks’ time.

Gymnastics Association of the Philippines president Cynthia Carrion said Yulo is expected to be in very good form in his ongoing preparations once he has completed his second jab of the COVID-19 vaccine next week. 

Carrion said officials at Teikyo University, where Yulo had trained and studied for the last  three years in Japan, are the ones who have provided for his vaccination needs.

“We are now doing everything in our power so that he can win a gold medal,” said Carrion in the Philippine Sportswriters Association forum presented by San Miguel Corporation, MILO, Amelie Hotel Manila, Braska Restaurant and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation. 

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In the past months, Yulo’s coach Munerhiro Kugimiya has managed to help the Filipino improve his routines out of the floor exercises, which is his main forte.

But Yulo has since become more skilled in executing routines in the vault and the parallel bars, too. However, his performances in the parallel bar, the pommel horse and the high bar still needs a lot of work.

Last month, Yulo showed how well he was doing when he bagged a bronze medal in the 2021 All-Japan Apparatus Championships.

The 21-year-old Yulo tallied 14.966 points to land third place finish in the men’s parallel bars event.

Rio Olympics gold medalist Yusuke Tanaka and Kaito Sugimoto tied for the gold medal after they both received 15.400 points.

Yulo intentionally did not join his pet event, the floor exercises during the competition for fear of being scouted, but he still came over and watched. 

After the competition, Yulo informed Carrion that he will be able to win a medal over other Japanese competitors.

But he will have to watch out when he competes against those from Russia, China and Israel.

That’s because Yulo hasn’t competed against many gymnasts coming from these countries yet.

Yulo made history at the 2019 World Artistic Gymnastics in Stuttgart, Germany, when he topped the men’s floor exercise and earned a ticket to the Tokyo Games.

“He is doing very well,” said Carrion, adding that Yulo is looking to win the gold in his pet event, the floor exercise, and another medal, a silver perhaps, in the vault.

“Caloy also wants to get to the finals of the parallel bars. The pummel and rings are the only ones he’s not doing well at,” Carrion.

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