By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Karl Eldrew Yulo is slowly carving his own niche in Philippine gymnastics after sparking the Nationals to three-gold, three-silver and two-bronze medals haul in the 2024 Pacific Rim Championships in Cali, Colombia over the weekend.
Eldrew, younger brother of two-time world champion Carlos Yulo, also made heads turn in the junior artistic gymnastics division of the tournament after collecting two gold and three silver medals.
He bagged the gold in the floor exercise with a score of 13.500 ahead of Mexico’s Juan David Hernandez Andrade (13.350) and hometown bet Keynher Camilo Vera Carrascal (13.300) then followed it up with another gold in vault with a score of 14.025 against Chile’s Agustin Espinoza (13.900) and Hong Kong’s Cheung Ching (13.875).
His silver medals came from the individual all-around (77.150), pommel horse (12.650) and rings (12.450).
John Ivan Cruz, who was a floor exercise champion at last year’s Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia, also shone in the senior division with a gold medal in vault this time with a 14.450 average after scoring 1.4650 and 14.250 in his two vaults.
Hong Kong’s Ka Ki Ng bagged the silver with 13.925 while Cruz’s teammate, fellow SEAG gold winner Juancho Besana, clinched the bronze with 13.900.
Ancilla Lucia Mari Manzano, meanwhile, was the lone Filipina to win a medal in the tournament after settling for the bronze medal in the senior women’s division in vault.
She scored 12.200 to finish behind eventual gold medalist Franciny Morales of Costa Rica (12.700) and Ava Fitzgerald of New Zealand (12.650).
Overall, the PH team finished sixth in the medal tally with the United States dominating the tournament with 23 gold, 15 silver and seven bronze medals.
The tournament also featured competitions in rhythmic gymnastics, aerobic and trampoline.
