By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
World champion Carlos Yulo stamped his class and showed the way in the individual all-around derby after Day 1 of the 9th Asian Senior Gymnastics Championships in Doha, Qatar Wednesday.
Yulo was again a beauty to watch in his per event – floor exercise – as he produced a score of 14.800 to lead the finalists. The event was Yulo’s ticket to Tokyo Games after lording it over during the 2019 World Championships.
He also advanced to the final of still rings after finishing sixth with 14.100 but he failed to qualify in the pommel horse after ending up 20th with 12.933.
Still, Yulo’s numbers in other apparatus were enough to take the pole position the individual all-around derby with 41.833 – just slightly ahead of Youth Olympics gold medalist Yin Dehang of China (41.800) and Yang Jiaxing also of China (41.700).
Jan Gwynn Timbang, another PH entry, was far behind at 27th after finishing 33rd in floor exercise (12.300), 35th in pommel horse (11.267) and 46th in still rings (10.967).
Other Filipinos, however, failed to progress in the three apparatus with John Ivan Cruz finishing 16th in floor exercise, while Juancho Miguel Besana wound up 30th (12.433).
Besana also did not qualify in pommel horse after finishing 38th with 10.833, even as Justine Ace De Leon, who finished 41st in still rings with 11.267.
The remaining three apparatus – vault, parallel bars and horizontal bar – are being contested at presstime.
All finals will be held Saturday and Sunday.
