Karl Eldrew Yulo remains optimistic that he would thrive in front of a hometown crowd when he competes in the 3rd Artistic Gymnastics Junior World Championships this November at the Manila Marriott Hotel Grand Ballroom at the Newport World Resorts in Pasay City.

Yulo, the younger brother of double Olympic gold medalist Caloy Yulo, said he will work hard to prepare for the prestigious tourney as he wants to become the best junior gymnast in the world.

“I hope I can make a good performance because I want to be one of the best junior gymnasts in the world,” Yulo said during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the conference room of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex on Tuesday.

“This is my major international competition this year, and, with the help of God, I want to show the world my best,” added Yulo, who trained for a month in Nagoya, Japan under noted Japanese coach Munehiro Kugimiya, with Gymnastic Association of the Philippines (GAP) president Cynthia Carrion by his side during the same session.

Carrion said she is not pressuring the 17-year-old Yulo to deliver despite playing in front of an expected sellout crowd.

“I won’t be putting any pressure on Eldrew, so I would be happy if he wins a silver at the world juniors,” Carrion said.

Carrion said she is proud that despite bids from other nations, especially Europe, the country was given the right to host the global gymnastics showcase by the International Gymnastics Federation last year in Doha.

The GAP chief, who played a vital role for the older Yulo in clinching a golden double in the Paris Olympics, said close to 80 countries and 600 athletes will see action in the meet during the public sports program backed by San Miguel Corporation, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Smart/PLDT, MILO, and the country’s 24/7 sports app ArenaPlus.

Beside the younger Yulo, the other bet at the world juniors will be United States-based Elisabeth Antone, who bagged the bronze medal in the Asian junior gymnastics meet held last June in Jecheon, South Korea.

Carrion explained that since the country was unable to field entries in the second edition held in Antalya, Turkey two years ago, only the 36 top countries in the previous competition are allowed to field teams.

“So we are limited to one athlete in the boys and girls categories,” she said.

Still, the gymnastics head has high hopes for both local gymnasts in the 3rd Artistic Gymnastics Junior World Championships since they will be performing in front of Filipinos.

“You know how inspiring our Filipino fans are so we expect them to root for both Yulo and Antone during the world juniors,” she said.