PH gymnasts start Asiad campaign

NAGOYA -- Despite a string of logistical hiccups that threw their preparations into disarray, members of the Philippine gymnastics team are optimistic as they kick off their Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games campaign on Monday with two-time Olympic champion Carlos Yulo seeking an elusive continental crown.

“Information on detailed training and competition schedules was spread across delegations with logistical delays. “Further, accommodation reassignments and late availability resulted in late check-ins for multiple teams,” said team official Sofia Almonte.

“The podium training sessions were delayed due to late arrival of the medical team, affecting the overall preparation focus.”

But the troubles have done little to dampen the mood of Filipinos heading to the competition, which starts 9 a.m. (Philippine time).

“I think the team handled everything so well and of course they are still in good spirits,” Almonte said.

Yulo is the centerpiece of the Philippine campaign back in the Asian Games without one big title to add to an already stellar collection of titles. The 26-year-old has bagged the Olympics, World Championships, World Cup, Asian Championships and Southeast Asian Games. But an Asian Games gold is missing from his resume.

Yulo’s first opportunity comes Monday in the men’s all-around at Rainbow Hall of the Nagoya City General Gymnasium against a world-class field that includes Olympic champions Oka Shinnosuke and Daiki Hashimoto of Japan and China’s Zhang Boheng.

Oka took over the Olympic all-around gold medal from 2021 Tokyo Games gold medalist Hashimoto in Paris last year. Zhang is the reigning all-around champion of the Asian Games after winning in Hangzhou three years ago. He followed that up by ruling the Asian Championships last June.

For Yulo, the all-around is just the beginning. He is also entered in the floor exercise and vault, two events where he feels extra pressure as the defending Olympic champion.

His campaign in the floor exercise could face another showdown with Japan’s Shoma Tsukiyama. Yulo and Tsukiyama placed first and second at the recent Asian Championships, with Yulo’s younger brother Eldrew taking bronze.

South Korea’s Kim Jaeho and Iran’s Mahdi Olfati, who bagged silver and bronze, respectively, at the Asian Championships in the vault, are expected to give Yulo a run for his money.

The Asian Games also takes on added significance for Yulo, who has unfinished business from his first appearance in 2018.

At just 18 years old, Yulo arrived in Jakarta-Palembang as one of the Philippines’ brightest medal prospects after winning World Cup silver medals in vault and floor exercise. Errors on landings cost him a podium finish, however, and he finished fourth on vault and seventh on floor after leading his specialty in the qualification round.

“I want to make up for this,” said Yulo. “I want to test my ability (now) as well.”

Yulo was unable to compete at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou as it coincided with the World Championships which were qualifiers for the Paris Olympics.