By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Munehiro Kugimiya, the Japanese gymnastics coach largely responsible for Carlo Yulo’s meteoric rise as one of the sport’s global icons, has been invited by the Gymnastics Association of Thailand to boost its training program.
In a Facebook post, the association said they have invited Yulo’s former mentor to teach and introduce new techniques to the Thai national men’s gymnastics team until Aug. 21.
A series of photos of Kugimiya with the Thai gymnasts accompanied the post.
Kugimiya took Yulo under his wings when the pride of Leveriza was just 16 years old before finally bringing him to Japan to further enhance his talent.
The relationship, however, went sour late last year before they officially parted ways just months before the Paris Olympics due to what Yulo said as personal reason.
Under Kugimiya’s tutelage, Yulo first made a name in the 2019 World Championships where he reigned in the floor exercise – his signature event.
He was almost untouchable in the Asian region that he won almost all tournaments there are to win.
Thailand, which will be hosting the Southeast Asian Games next year, has won six silver medals in Phnom Penh Games in Cambodia. It hopes to turn these into gold medals next year.
At the 2021 SEAG in Hanoi, they bagged three golds.
Vietnam and Malaysia have been lording it over the medal standings of the sport in the Southeast Asian level, as well as the Philippines where Yulo delivers most of the load.
Yulo is coming off a historic showing in Paris where he bagged the floor exercise and vault gold medals to become the first Filipino multi-gold medalist in one single edition.
