Yulo keen on winning multiple SEA Games golds in Vietnam

MANILA, Philippines – World champion Filipino gymnast Caloy Yulo is bent on raking in more gold medals in the Hanoi Southeast Asian Games slated May 12 to 23 compared the last time the biennial event was staged in Manila three years back.

Yulo, who is currently in the country on a brief vacation, on Friday vowed to eclipse his two-gold, five-silver medal effort in the last 2019 SEA Games edition, a performance he described as disappointing.

He likened his SEA Games effort to last year’s Tokyo Olympics where he failed to bring home a medal even though he was one of the favorites tipped to strike gold.

“The SEA Games last time was like what happened in the Olympics, I don’t want it to happen again,” said Yulo during an interview in yesterday’s Philippine Sports Commission Hour.

“It was there that I realized that I don’t want to lose,” he added.

Yulo didn’t specifically mention how many mints he is planning to grab in Hanoi but mentioned he would put in laser-like focus in the vault, parallel bars, floor exercise, high bars and individual all-around events.

“I want to win and give it my best performance and it will connect to the medal. Of course, I hope to win gold in floor, p-bar (parallel bars), vault and high bars. I’m also focused in the individual all-around,” he said,

The two-time world champion is in town to grace as one of the guests in the inauguration the Manny V. Pangilinan Sports Foundation Gymnastics Center in Intramuros, Manila Saturday.

Yulo said he had a tournament lined up next month in Japan, the Hangzhou Asian Games slated Sept. 10 to 25 and the World Championships in Liverpool, England in October.

“I’m almost 80% in completing my new routine and I hope to fully complete it before the World Championships,” he said.