With SEA Games campaign over, Carlos Yulo now focuses on Olympics

By Kristel Satumbaga

There is no room for rest for world champion gymnast Carlos Yulo after his debut campaign at the 30^th Southeast Asian Games.

The 19-year-old sensation has now set his sights on the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with high hopes of making an impact the way he did at the 49^th FIG Artistic Gymnastic World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany last October.

He didn’t promise any medal, though the Filipinos are hoping that he could end the country’s gold-medal drought in the Olympics.

“Para sa akin po, maibigay lang yung best ko. Gusto ko po yung feeling na pagkatapos ng routine ko, masasabi ko po sa sarili ko na satisfied ako at ginawa ko po ang lahat,” he said.

It was the same mentality that Yulo applied in the world championships, and it worked as he claimed the gold medal in the floor exercise against his veteran counterparts.

Though the worlds was a bigger stage than the SEA Games, Yulo said he was more nervous performing in the biennial meet.

“Mas malala po yung kaba ko dito sa SEA Games. Pero hindi ko rin po in-expect yung mga medals na nakuha ko,” he said.

“Ang gusto ko lang po, maibigay yung best ko sa SEA Games. Gusto ko po na makita nila yung hard work ko. Sobrang saya po na chini-cheer po yung Team Pilipinas lalo na po yung crowd, sobrang ingay po talaga.”

Yulo collected two gold medals in individual all-around and floor exercise, and five silvers in vault, pommel horse, still rings, parallel bars and horizontal bar.

He was graceful in his defeats, as people expected him to sweep his seven events.

“Nakakahinayang pero siguro hindi pa po talaga para sa akin yung mga yun,” he said.

“Hindi naman po palagi panalo, pero hindi rin po palagi talo. Ang mahalaga po tuluy-tuloy lang sa training at pag-improve.”

Yulo is expected to return to Japan for his studies at the Teikyo University and training under long-time Japanese coach Munehiro Kugimiya.

“We have to be strong, we need to train more for the Olympics,” said Kugimiya.

Gymnastics Association of the Philippines president Cynthia Carrion said they will do their best to give Yulo the training and exposure he needed for his Olympic campaign.

“For now, our only focus is the Olympics,” she said.

Source: Manila Bulletin