MANILA, Philippines — You can call gymnastics chief Cynthia Carrion as the Nostradamus of Philippine sports for predicting that Carlos Yulo would win gold medals in the Paris Olympics.
She exercised her seer-like prowess once more yesterday by making another bold prediction: two Yulos will compete in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Of course, Carrion was referring to the other Yulo, 16-year-old Karl Eldrew, a promising young gymnast displaying the same determination and promise the elder Yulo showed on his way to sporting greatness.
“One-hundred percent, unless one of them gets hurt, that’s the only thing I’m praying they don’t get injured,” said Carrion when asked of the possibility of the Yulo siblings making it to LA in 2028.
“Yes, his kapatid, especially Eldrew, he’ll really be good,” said Carrion “He’ll be really good, kaya. Two Yulos in the same team will be very nice.”
What set Eldrew Yulo apart, according to Carrion, was his audacity.
“Eldrew is capable because he’s daring,” she said.
You can trust Carrion for it.
After all, it was Carrion who in 2019, after Yulo won the floor exercise gold in the World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany, forecasted the latter will win the Olympic gold one day.
That day came in Paris.
Carrion, meanwhile, said Yulo is just waiting for the opportunity to thank his former coach – Japan’s Munehiro Kugimiya.
“As soon as we have time, maybe in October, we will go to Japan to thank not only coach Mune (Kugimiya), but also the university and all the officials who supported him,” said Carrion.
Yulo and Kugimiya had a falling out due to personal matters last year after a partnership that started almost a decade ago.
But Kugimiya still cheered for Yulo during the Paris Games.