JAKARTA—Carlos Yulo looks to reap the fruits of a comprehensive three-year training program that made him decide to leave the Philippines and call Japan his second home.

The 18-year-old eyes history, as he aims to win the Philippines’ first-ever gold medal in artistic gymnastics in the 2018 Asian Games at Jakarta International Expo Hall.

On Monday, Yulo topped the preliminary round of the floor exercises competition, giving him a berth in the medal stage on Thursday.

The final is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. (5 p.m. in Manila).

The two-time Palarong Pambasa champion has been training in Japan the past three years, a program that required Yulo to practice eight hours a day, six days a week, under coach Munehiro Kugimiya, with the assistance of the Japanese Gymnastics Federation, which is helping him to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Yulo is one of a few elite Filipino athletes being supported by Siklab Foundation and the MVP Sports Foundation.

Yulo, who came in eighth in the men’s all-around with a score of 80.750, an event dominated by China on Monday, burst into the international scene early this year with top-3 finishes in 3 legs of the 2018 Artistic Gymnastics World Cup Series organized by the International Gymnastics Federation, the sport's world governing body.

He won a bronze medal in the vault event in Melbourne; a vault silver in Baku, Azerbaijan; and a floor silver in Doha, Qatar.

Lone Pinoy bet confident in sport-climbing

In Palembang, meanwhile, Gerard Verosil was upbeat about his chances in sport climbing at Jakabaring Sports City, a discipline that's debuting in these Games.

“Mahirap pong mag-prediksiyon. Basta confident po akong magpe-perform ng maayos dito,” said Verosil, the only Filipino entry in the field of 34.

The 17-year-old is fresh off a semifinal finish in the Asian Cup Bouldering and Speed event in Bangkok in June, which served as his tune-up for the Asian Games.

Competitors will take on a 12-meter wall during the four-day competition.

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