PUERTO PRINCESA, Palawan – Karl Eldrew Yulo continued to follow the footsteps of his multi-titled brother as he won five gold medals in the gymnastics competition of the 2019 Batang Pinoy National Championships Tuesday here.
Younger brother of national team standout Caloy, the young Yulo dominated the men’s artistics held at the Puerto Princesa City Coliseum with victories in the floor exercise (9.150 points), vault (9.550), mushroom (9.600), parallel bar (9.650), individual all-around (47.400) of the Class 2 division.
Yulo, 11, was denied of his sixth individual gold after being nosed out in the high bar. His partnership with John Timothy Manalon and Williard Pasana for Team Manila also resulted to a silver finish.
Yulo said he had a hard time this year as his coach wanted him to perform a more advanced routine in his events.
Though he failed to duplicate his seven-gold haul in Class 1 last year in Baguio City, he was happy with his feat.
“Idol ko po talaga kuya ko. Gusto ko pong maging katulad niya kaya pinagbubutihan ko rin sa training,” said Yulo, a Grade 6 student of Aurora A. Quezon Elementary School in Malate, Manila.
In swimming, Cainta bet Aubrey Tom and Parañaque City’s Mark Bryan Dula captured their fourth gold medals in Day 2 of the competitions.
After a three-gold haul in opening day, Tom resumed dominance and collected her fourth gold in the girls 12-under 50-meter butterfly in 31.41 seconds. Her earlier victories came from the 200m individual medley (2:32.30), the 100m freestyle (1:03.57) and the 50m backstroke (33.55sec).
Dula, meanwhile, triumphed in the boys 12-under 50m fly (29.28sec) and the 200m backstroke (2:31.95) after victories in the 50m back (31.10sec) and 100m fly (1:04.55) on Monday.
Cotabato Province’s John Alexander Talosig won his third gold by ruling the boys 15-under 400m IM in 4:58.78.
At the Palawan State University, FIDE Master Mark Jay Bacojo and Jeryln Mae San Diego of Dasmariñas City dominated the boys and girls 13-15 rapid chess events with identical 4.5 points.
Laguna’s Jeremy Marticio and Nueva Vizcaya’s Jan Clifford Labog came in second and third behind Bacojo with 3 and 2.5 points, while Davao del Norte’s Aliyah Rae Lumangtad and Mati City’s Ruth Atog settled for silver and bronzes in the girls’ side.
At the Ramon V. Mitra Sports Complex, Kate Martinez of Zambales snared her second gold by leaping 1.54m in the girls high jump, following up her discus throw gold on Monday.
Laguna Province’s Magvrylle Matchino, meanwhile, avenged her girls 800m loss by ruling the 1500m in 5:05.00.
