With a shot at redemption, gymnast Carlos Yulo aims to leverage his experience from the 2020 Tokyo Games and bring glory to the Philippines in Paris 2024.
Almost three years removed from his heartbreaking 2020 Tokyo Olympic stint, Carlos Yulo is set to make his return to the grand stage of the Olympic Games.
Yulo, at 24 years old, aims to leverage his past experience and bolster his confidence as he takes another shot at glory for the Philippines at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
This time around, the 4-foot-11 stalwart will not carry the weight of the nation’s hopes alone in gymnastics, as he will be joined by Levi Ruivivar, Aleah Finnegan, and Emma Malabuyo.
“Noong Tokyo, ako lang po ‘yung mag isa-sa gymnastics. Compared doon na bata pa po ako and wala pa akong masyadong experience sa ganun kalaking competitions, sa ngayon mas confident na ako,” Yulo said in a press conference held at the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) Gymnasium in Intramuros on Thursday, May 30.
“And may mga kasama na ako sa larangan ng gymnastics. Ibibigay ko po lahat ng buong puso [ko sa] performance."
Yulo booked a berth in the quadrennial meet last October 2023, after qualifying as the highest-ranked eligible athlete in both the floor exercise and parallel bars in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championship in Antwerp, Belgium.
With a chance at redemption, Yulo, who struggled in the Tokyo Games after an underwhelming performance in his pet event, floor exercise, and barely missing out on a podium in the vault event, is now driven by unwavering determination.
[RELATED: Carlos Yulo wins four gold medals in Asian championships]
This determination was palpable in the recently-concluded 2024 Men's Artistic Gymnastics Asian Championships. There, he displayed his brilliance in the all-around event, floor exercise, vault and parallel bars, securing four gold medals.
After such a triumphant campaign in the Asian Championships, Yulo aims to sustain his golden form as he puts a premium on refining his act across all apparatuses. However, he is placing particular emphasis on his specialties.
“Parehas pa rin po kung paano ako nag-prepare sa Asian Championships. Magfo-focus ako sa tatlo ko pong mabigat na apparatuses, which is floor, vault, and parallel bars. Konting linis na lang sa other three [apparatuses],” Yulo shared.
“Mas gusto ko pong mas maging pulido 'yung mga landing ko, especially sa floor and vault, and siyempre dagdag execution sa parallel bars.”
Yulo said that the routine he is currently perfecting will be the one he plans to present at the Olympics in Paris, scheduled from July 26 to August 11.
Confident in his preparation, he believes that executing this routine flawlessly could pave the way for him to become the second gold medalist from the Philippines.
“Malaki po ‘yung chance na makapag gold medal," Yulo said.