MANILA, Philippines, April 30 ------ The future is bright for Philippine gymnastics. Eldrew Yulo powered the Philippines’ eight-medal haul in the Pacific Rim Gymnastics Championships in Cali, Colombia, over the weekend.
Looking to step out of the shadow of his older brother, world champion Carlos, the younger Yulo stamped his class in the junior men’s level as he bagged two golds and three silvers. Yulo on Sunday, April 28, ruled the floor exercise with 13.5 points as he edged Mexico’s Juan David Hernandez Andrade (13.35) and Colombia’s Camilo Vera (13.3) then went on to top the vault with an average of 14.025 points. Netting 14.75 and 13.3 points in each of his two vault attempts, Yulo bested Chile’s Agustin Espinoza (13.9) and Hong Kong’s Ching Cheung (13.875).
Yulo also bagged silvers in pommel horse and still rings on top of the silver he won in the individual all-around on Saturday, April 27. John Ivan Cruz delivered for the Philippines as well as he reigned in vault in the senior men’s division. The floor exercise champion in the 2023 Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Cruz showcased his proficiency in vault with an average of 14.45 points to beat out Hong Kong’s Ka Ki Ng (13.95). Another Filipino completed the vault podium as Juancho Miguel Besana nailed bronze with 13.9 points.
The Philippine men’s artistic gymnastics team flourished under the tutelage of coach Reyland Capellan, a former two-time SEA Games champion in floor exercise. In senior women’s play, Ancilla Lucia Mari Manzano snagged bronze in vault after tallying 12.2 points to finish behind Costa Rica’s Franciny Morales (12.7) and New Zealand’s Ava Fitzgerald (12.65). Justin Ace de Leon, Jhon Santillan, Jan Gwynn Timbang, Iza Yulo, and Kursten Lopez also represented the Philippines in the Colombia tiff.
Source: rappler.com