Carlos Yulo strikes gold in Baku with parallel bars masterclass
MANILA, Philippines — Carlos Yulo nabbed his first gold medal at the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup Series in Baku, Azerbaijan as he ruled the parallel bars final on Saturday.
After missing out on the final in his pet event floor exercise, Yulo more than made up for it with a flawless routine on the parallel bars for his second gold overall in the World Cup series.
Yulo bested Ukraine's Illia Kovtun who had been gunning for his seventh straight FIG World Cup title on the apparatus.
Despite a lower difficulty score for Yulo (6.5) compared to Kovtun (6.6), the 22-year-old made up for it with his execution where he garnered a competition high 8.900.
Carlos Yulo ???????? on Parallel Bars: Clear hip to one rail handstand, Healy out. Stutz. Healy. Front flip. Front straddle somie to his hands. Bhavsar. Tippelt. Diamidov. Double front tuck half out, stuck! Virtuosity from Yulo! If anyone can beat Kovtun, it's him! 15.4 — leader! pic.twitter.com/Qe08Pq7Fbc
— FIG (@gymnastics) March 11, 2023
Yulo finished with 15.400, edging Kovtun who ended up second with 15.366.
France's Cameron-Lie Bernard completed the podium with a 14.600 total.
Top qualifier Curran Phillips ended up only fifth with 14.500.
Yulo competed in the rings final as well but could not get up on the podium in an apparatus he has yet to finish in the Top 3 since he copped gold in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi last year.
After qualifying fifth with 14.166, Yulo ended up 7th in the final with an identical score.
Home bet Nikita Simonov ruled the competition with 14.633. Iran's Mahdi Ahmad Kohani and Austria's Vinzenz Hoeck completed the podium.
Yulo competes again in the vault final, where he is a former world champion, on Sunday.
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