WORLD Cup multiple gold medalist Carlos Edriel Yulo flew back home to the country Tuesday night to personally spread the word of gymnastics to the Filipino youth seeking glory the same way he did in reaching the top.
“He (Mr. Yulo) arrived last night (Tuesday),” said Gymnastics Association of the Philippines president Cynthia Carrion Norton referring to the 22-year-old Filipino star who has raked in three gold medals in the FIG World Cup Series including two in Baku, Azerbaijan less than a week ago.
The pocket-sized spectacle from Leveriza in Manila will be the main speaker when the GAP launches its grassroots development program tomorrow at his old training ground at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex’s (RMSC) Gymnastics Hall in Malate, Manila.
“He came home for our March 17 opening where he will serve as an inspiration to young kids wanting to take up gymnastics,” said Ms. Carrion Norton.
Mr. Yulo will speak before about a hundred aspiring young gymnasts, who are all eyeing to emulate his success as two-time world champion, three-time Asian titlist and seven-time Southeast Asian Games gold winner.
Ms. Carrion Norton said they were forced to move the venue from the training center in Intramuros to the RMSC to accommodate everyone, thanks to the help of the Philippine Sports Commission.
“The fact that we have about 100 grassroots children who want to be gymnasts, we can not accommodate them in Intramuros as our elite athletes are training there,” said Carrion Norton. “So in as much as the Japanese embassy donated gymnastics equipment for GAP, I asked PSC if our old gymnastics gym can be turned into our grassroots program.”
“But it needed a lot of cleaning, renovation, full of termites, roof licks and rain will easily destroy expensive apparatuses. Luckily, the PSC approved our request,” she added.
Mr. Yulo will stay in the country for 13 days and will leave for Japan where he will resume training as he is scheduled to see action in the fourth and final leg of the FIG series slated April 27 to 30 in Cairo, Egypt. — Joey Villar
