Carlos Yulo set for 'adjustments' ahead of busy 2025: 'I'm expecting to learn' | ABS-CBN

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Carlos Yulo set for 'adjustments' ahead of busy 2025: 'I'm expecting to learn'

Carlos Yulo set for 'adjustments' ahead of busy 2025: 'I'm expecting to learn'

Rom Anzures,

ABS-CBN News

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Paris Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo visits the ABS-CBN Newsroom at the ABS-CBN Compound in Quezon City on August 27, 2024.  Gigie Cruz, ABS-CBN News/FileParis Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo visits the ABS-CBN Newsroom at the ABS-CBN Compound in Quezon City on August 27, 2024.  Gigie Cruz, ABS-CBN News/FileMANILA — Carlos Yulo and the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) are gearing up for another loaded year in the sport.

Coming off a successful 2024 which saw Yulo, through GAP’s support, bring home two golds from the Paris Olympic Games, they are now shifting their focus on their next assignments — the Asian Championships and the 33rd Southeast Asian Games.

However, the Philippine Sportswriters Association’s (PSA) Athlete of the Year is tempering expectations and would like to enter yet another Olympic cycle with a fresh start

“I’m not expecting to win, but I’m expecting to learn po sa mga magiging experiences ko sa darating na competitions,” Yulo said on Monday after receiving his plum at the PSA Awards Night in Manila.

“Bilang atleta, mahirap maging consistent pero ibibigay ko po yung best ko makabalik po sa stage. Marami po akong magiging learnings this year, and handa po akong tanggapin lahat ng yun.”

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“Hindi po ako natatakot na magkamali, ang end goal ko naman po is makapag Olympics ng healthy,” he added.

This year’s Asian Championships are set in May, but Yulo pointed out that he is still in his adjustment period, especially with the rule changes in gymnastics that he would be encountering.

“Nag iba rin po kasi ng rules this year, so marami rin pong naga-adjust,” he said. “Isa po ako sa maraming mga nag aadjust.”

Fortunately, the elder Yulo’s long break has helped him physically, mentally, and emotionally prepare for another busy year in his sport.

“Sobrang na-replenish po ako. Maraming realizations and learnings outside gymnastics, so mas eager po akong bumalik sa gymnastics and competitions,” he shared.

On the other hand, the PSA’s 2024 National Sporting Association (NSA) of the Year is also adjusting to the rules of this year’s Thailand SEA Games.

“We’re starting to prepare, but unfortunately, the SEA Games doesn’t have team events,” revealed GAP President Cynthia Carrion.

“They won’t give us an award for teams. It’s only apparatus, and of course, Carlos can win all the apparatus, but what about the others? We want to win as a team,” she added.

Unlike in the 2023 Cambodia Games wherein Yulo helped the Philippines clinch silver in the men’s artistic team all-around, Carrion shared that the both men’s and women’s divisions will only have individual all-around.

“They don’t have one, and that's very sad news. They’re cutting down the medals for gymnastics. I don’t know why, they don’t want us to win? But because maybe they want others to win,” she said.

With this, Carrion and GAP are still contemplating how to fill out their roster for the December games, especially since they are also focusing on propelling their other athletes to glory, much like how they did with Yulo.

“I don’t think it’s good for Carlos to win the six apparatus,” she insisted. “What happens if Carlos wins all six? What happens to my other gymnasts? Maybe Carlos should not go to give the chance to others.”

“I want the others to win, so maybe they can go there as a team, but he will only compete in one or two apparatus, not all,” she added.

The 33rd SEA Games will be held from December 9 to 20, 2025.

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