By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Carlos Yulo combined speed, power and grace to the max and qualified in four final events, including the floor exercise in the 51st FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championship Monday, Oct. 31 in Liverpool, England (early Tuesday in Manila).
As expected, the little dynamo showed great energy in his routine in the floor exercise – tumbling and doing power moves in an area of 12 meters (40 feet) square to the delight of the crowd.
So powerful was Yulo’s performance he topped his pet event in 15.266 points, which was a fitting follow up to his impressive showing in vault and parallel bars where he also qualified.
In fact, he was the only gymnast to score sub-15.
He ranked third in vault – where he is the reigning champion – with 14.733 and fourth in parallel bars with 15.333.
That was enough to make it to the final of the all-around.
The top 8 gymnasts in each apparatus earn spots to the finals.
“Right now, I’m really glad but not satisfied because there are a lot of areas where I can improve,” said Yulo.
His movements in parallel bars were also crisp and precise, finishing just 0.400 behind top qualifier and reigning Olympic champion Zou Jingyuan of China.
He opted for a new element in vault, though, the Ri Se Gwang II (piked Dragulescu) and made it, although with a low landing and a large step to the side to get a 0.100 deduction.
“The vault was really scary. That was my first time doing the Ri Se Gwang, so that’s really big for me. It gave me confidence right now to compete in the finals,” Yulo said.
Yulo also surprised himself by placing third in the all-around with an 84.664 total despite finishing 11.666 for 102nd in pommel horse and 13.533 for 31st in high bar. He almost made it to the individual finals of still rings by finishing 10th with 14.066.
Only the top 24 gymnasts advance to the all-around finals scheduled on Friday, Nov. 4, with Japanese bets Wataru Tanigawa and reigning Olympic champion Daisuke Hashimoto led the qualifiers with 84.731 and 84.665 scores.
“It’s a really good result but it’s just the qualifying. I’m not being boastful, it’s not the final yet so if I can do it in the final, maybe I will say I’m satisfied,” Yulo said.
Yulo added he needed to assert his might when he competes in the all-around final on Friday, Nov. 4, the floor exercise final on Nov. 5, and the vault and parallel bars final on Nov. 6.
“I’m going to try to beat what I did today, to be more aggressive,” he said.
