CARLOS YULO BACKS PH TEAM FOR SEA GAMES SUCCESS WITHOUT HIM

THE Philippine team bound for the Southeast Asian Games will do just fine without double Olympic champ Carlos Yulo.

Yulo himself said this as he expressed confidence in his teammates who will fly the flag in the biennial meet in Thailand this December.

“If they give their best, I know they can do it. In their previous competitions, their performances may not have been great, but I know they prepared really hard for the SEA Games,” said Yulo, a nine-time SEA Games champ.

“I just wish that all their performances and trainings go safely. And of course, I hope they enjoy the competition. The competition itself is already tough, and what they’re doing is tough, so I hope they get to enjoy it when the competition comes.” Yulo, who won the vault and floor exercise events at the Paris Olympics last year, skipped this year’s SEA Games due to host country Thailand’s restrictions.

The organizers limited gymnasts to competing in three apparatus only and could only qualify for one final while also scrapping the individual and team all-around events.

Yulo won two golds and two silvers in the last SEA Games edition in Cambodia in 2023, topping the individual all-around and parallel bars while placing second in still rings and team all-around.

Leading the way for this year’s PH men’s gymnastics team at the SEA Games are John Ivan Cruz and Juancho Miguel Besana, who ruled the floor exercise and vault events, respectively, in the Cambodia meet.

Joining them are Jhon Romeo Santillan, Justin Ace De Leon, James Benedict Yray, Arcenio Cadlos, and Enrico Ostia.

Paris Olympians Aleah Finnegan and Emma Malabuyo lead the way for the women’s team which are also composed of Haylee Garcia, Jasmine Ramillo, Breanna Labadan, Shieldannah Sabio, Andrea Mae Emperado, Katrina Loretizo, Francesa Denise Ganaden, Cristalin Zoe Valencia, Zchielorrae Cerezo, Charmaine Dolar, and Dorothy Asuncion.  NIEL VICTOR C. MASOY

2025-11-30T16:14:43Z