Caloy overshoots target

MANILA, Philippines — Before the Hanoi SEA Games, Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) president Cynthia Carrion predicted four gold medals for two-time world champion Caloy Yulo in the all-around, floor, vault and parallel bars. She happily missed the forecast by one as Yulo, 22, struck paydirt in all-around, floor, vault, horizontal bar and rings. Yulo also claimed silvers in men’s team and parallel bars.

With his haul, Yulo cherished the silver in men’s team as the most gratifying. It was his first-ever effort with teammates and the medal was the country’s first since a bronze in 2005 with Al Ramirez, Brydon Sy, Neil Faustino, Roel Ramirez and Ronnie Ramirez. “Caloy has won so many golds but the silver with his teammates, he cried tears of joy as he carried them to the finish line,” said Carrion. “He’s a real champion in heart, mind and spirit.”

Carrion said every member of the five-man team had to do each of the six apparatus and their scores were combined to determine the highest score for the gold. Yulo’s teammates were Juancho Besana, John Vergara, Jan Timbang, John Cruz and Ace de Leon. “They were all inspired by Caloy,” said Carrion. “We’re planning to form a men’s team for the 2028 LA Olympics but we’ve got new kids on the block so the composition may change. Caloy’s younger brother Eldrew is now training for the team event.”

A big surprise was the women’s team bagging gold for the first time in 30 years. No team event in gymnastics was held in 2019. The women’s squad was composed of Aleah Finnegan, Chiara Andrews, Ancilla Manzano, Lucia Gutierrez, Kursten Lopez and Cristina Loberanes. Finnegan also took the gold in vault and silvers in balance beam and all-around.

Carrion said Finnegan was a pleasant surprise. “Aleah recruited us,” said Carrion. “She was with the US team but since she’s half-Filipina, asked if she could join us. We went through a long process of correspondence requesting if she could be released by the US gymnastics association, if she could join the Philippine team, if the world federation could approve the transfer. I appealed orally for the federation’s approval during the General Assembly in Turkey. Then we renewed her Philippine passport. It was lots of work but we did it.”

Yulo took the day off yesterday in Hanoi with his Australia-based Filipina girlfriend Chloe whom he met online. Then he goes back to Tokyo to train for his next competition on June 15 in Doha. Carrion said she expects more medals from rhythmic gymnastics today and tomorrow and aerobic gymnastics on May 21-23.