They all come to see Caloy

MANILA, Philippines — The line to the ticket distribution center and entrance was so long,  the seats inside were nearly filled to the brim and the roar was deafening as action transpired.

But no, it ain’t basketball, or volleyball taking center stage.

It’s Carlos Yulo, the world champion gymnast from Manila, bidding for the individual all-round gold at the Southeast Asian Games.

He was a rock star to the packed gallery, who watched in awe as Yulo put on a show on floor excercise, pommel horse, still rings, parallel bars, and horizontal bars en route to the most coveted mint with his 84.90 total.

“Yeah, it’s the biggest crowd in the Philippines for a gymnastics competition,” said Gymnastics Association of the Philippines president Cynthia Carrion.

“We’re fully booked and then we can’t accommodate some because we have no more seats and all of them came here to see Caloy.”

The huge interest from Filipinos brought about by Yulo’s historic triumph in the last world championships in Germany greatly boosts the sport’s stock.

“That means gymnastics gonna go up higher and there’ll be more kids joining gymnastics. It’s not all basketball, at least gymnastics will be in their conscience,” said Carrion.

Yulo got a huge ovation from the capacity crowd as they didn’t leave the coliseum until he exited.

“I was really hyped by the crowd. I got nervous, but thank you to everyone who showed us their support here. I’m lost for words,” said the 19-year-old gymnastics star.

Carrion said they expect this same big Sunday throng to show up in the succeeding days. Yulo will take the floor again on Tuesday for the individual apparatus.

“Even for the women’s (team’s events), I think it will be full,” she said.