Yulo shrugs off attention

HANOI – Filipino gymnast Caloy Yulo was the center of attraction Thursday at the Quan Ngura Sports Palace here.

Well, the 22-year-old Yulo was the only world champion in the building.

No wonder when the diminutive Filipino tried his hand on the different apparatuses, gymnasts from other countries stole glimpses of his spectacular moves.

They were trying to watch and learn.

But the two-time world champion said he doesn’t mind at all.

“Hindi ko po iniisip yun,” Yulo told a couple of Pinoy scribes who came to watch him train on the eve of the team events competitions.

If things go on as planned, Yulo will advance to the finals of pommel horse, rings, vault, parallel bars, horizontal bar, floor exercise and the all-around.

Yulo won world titles in floor in 2019 in Germany and vault in 2021 in Japan. In the 2019 SEA Games back home, Yulo reigned in the all-around and floor. He won five silver medals as well.

Yulo is tipped to do better this time, which means surpassing two golds or winning them all, according to Gymnastics Association of the Philippines president Cynthia Carrion Norton.

“Okay naman ako,” said Yulo, short of saying that there are no major concerns in his bid for SEA Games glory under his Japanese coach Munehiro Kugiyama.

“Physically, okay naman ako,” he added.

Again, the pride of Manila said things went about as normally as it goes during the practice round.

“Hindi ko iniisip yung maraming nakatingin sa akin. Marami rin naman ibang magagaling,” he said as five other teammates cooled down on the floor.

“Kaya hindi ko sinasabing ako ang pinaka-magaling dito. Kung ano ang kaya ko gawin, doon lang ako naka-focus. Kung ano ang magagawa ko sa competition, yun lang ang iniisip ko,” Yulo added.

“Bukas po, team events na,” he said.

There’s a lot resting on the shoulders of this young man.