By Nick Giongco
Carlos Yulo isn’t merely training his sights on making it to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The 18-year-old gymnast wants to win the Olympics’ ultimate prize.
Though he’ll be facing tremendous odds, Yulo believes winning the gold medal is doable.
“Kaya naman,” said Yulo during a thanksgiving party Friday hosted by the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP), whose leadership is upbeat that the Japan-trained gymnast will get better in time for the 2020 Olympics.
Japanese coach Munehiro Kugimiya swears winning in Tokyo is realistic as they have been training like never before.
“We are targeting the gold in Tokyo, of course,” said Kugimiya.
GAP president Cynthia Carrion echoes the same observations.
“Yes, a gold in the Olympics is what we are aiming for,” said Carrion, who discovered Yulo when he was still seven years old.
“I know he can do it,” added Carrion.
Yulo is coming off a rousing performance in a Tokyo meet where he took three silvers (floor, parallel bars and vault) after a heartbreaking stint in the Jakarta Asian Games last August.
Yulo was picked to win in the Asian Games but he took a risky move during the runup to the finals and cost him dearly.
Following the Asian Games setback, Yulo and Kugimiya went over the training program and made several adjustments resulting in a bronze medal finish for Yulo in the World Cup in Doha.
Up next for Yulo in the first quarter of 2019 are events in Melbourne, Baku and Doha, tournaments wherein points will be earned for Olympic qualification.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Sports Commission gave Yulo a cash reward of R250,000 for his recent achievement in Japan.
Handing over the incentive was PSC Commissioner Celia Kiram.
