Warm welcome awaits Yulo

Carlos Yulo (center) displays his gold medal after beating Artem Dolgopyat of Israel and China’s Routeng Xiao. JAT TENORIO

The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is planning to give Carlos Yulo a warm welcome following his golden performance in the 49th FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championship late Saturday at the Hanns Martin Schleyer Halle in Stuttgart, Germany.

PSC chairman William “Butch” Ramirez said a courtesy call to Malacanang is now being prepared so President Rodrigo Duterte can personally congratulate the country’s brightest prospect in the Tokyo Olympics next year.

Ramirez, the chief of mission of the national squad in the 30th Southeast Asian Games this November, said the President as well as Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go were closely monitoring the competition and were jubilant when Yulo finally became the first Filipino gold medalist in a world-class gymnastics competition.

“We are all thrilled with the golden performance of Caloy Yulo in the World Championships,” said Ramirez, whose agency has been bankrolling Yulo’s training in Japan.

“The President is happy. Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and Sen. Bong Go have been in touch and were monitoring the competition. The Office of the President and the PSC congratulate Caloy on this achievement.”

Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino also expressed his congratulation to Yulo, who is the youngest world gymnastics champion at 19.

“It’s truly an honor for the country,” Tolentino said.

“Yulo’s gold medal in the World Championships only proves that he would go far and is very qualified to be in the Olympics.”

Gymnastics Association of the Philippines president Cynthia Carrion said she has been in touch with Ramirez to arrange Yulo’s arrival in Manila.

Yulo was supposed to fly to Tokyo to resume his training, but the PSC told Carrion that a courtesy call is being arranged so he has to be in Manila on Tuesday and Wednesday before heading to Tokyo.

“Everything is now being arranged. Instead of going to Tokyo, Caloy has to be in Manila on 15 and 16 October,” Carrion said, who was burning the phone lines shortly after Yulo won the gold medal.

“I was on the phone with chairman Butch and he told me that they are arranging Caloy’s visit to Malacañang so the President can personally congratulate him. I’m so happy for him. He really deserves this.”