After months of celebration, it’s time for Carlos Yulo to return to the gym.
Gymnastics Association of the Philippines president Cynthia Carrion wants Yulo to slowly resume his training in preparation for major international tournaments next year.
Carrion said they want Yulo to avoid suffering any injury so he has to slowly regain his fitness following months of celebration caused by his historic double-gold medal performance in the Paris Olympics.
Yulo paid the federation a visit on Wednesday to grace its Christmas party at the MVP Sports Foundation Gymnasium in Intramuros. Together with his girlfriend, Chloe San Jose, the 24-year-old Yulo mingled with fellow national team players, coaches, players, federation officials, sponsors and other guests.
The upcoming Christmas celebration is truly special for Yulo as it will be his first since gaining tremendous amount of fortune — from multi-million cash to houses, condominium units, cars and other perks — due to his Olympic success.
“Carlos will start training again. He’s been celebrating all this time,” Carrion said, adding that there is no question as far as Yulo’s dedication is concerned as he is determined to go back to the gym as soon as possible.
“After our Christmas party on 18 December, he wants to start training already. But we want him to start with the basics now because I don’t want him to get hurt.”
“I told him to just start slow and don’t rush it because he can’t afford to get injured.”
Yulo expressed gratitude for his fantastic year but stressed that he is far from done.
“This year has been a rollercoaster ride for me. I am truly grateful. I can’t say anything more but thanks to the Lord and to those who helped me,” said Yulo, who will resume his training at the GAP facility under the watchful eyes of Filipino mentor Aldrin Castañeda.
“Even if I lost before in the Olympics, they still opted to stay. I will not reach this success if not for them. That’s why I’m so happy to end the year because I’ve accomplished a lot. But more than anything, I’m grateful because I’m healthy.”
Yulo added that he couldn’t ask for anything more.
“We already have a lot,” he said during the party that featured raffle draws, dance-offs, games, and special performances by the gymnastics team.
True enough, the upcoming year will be very busy for the greatest Filipino Olympic athlete.
Prior to the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in December next year, Yulo will also see action in the FIG Apparatus World Cup from 20 to 23 February in Cottbus, Germany; 12th Senior Asian Gymnastics in Jecheon, South Korea from 5 to 8 June; and the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Jakarta from 19 to 25 October, where he will be shooting for his third gold medal after ruling the floor exercise in 2019 in Germany and vault in 2021 in Japan.
With floor exercise, vault and parallel bars serving as his pet events, Carrion said Yulo wants to further improve in other apparatuses, including pommel horse.
After all, Yulo has to be well-rounded as he will be shooting for an individual all-around gold medal in the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
“Well, right now, Carlos is already very, very good in three apparatus, which is the floor, the vault, and the parallel bar. He’s very good,” Carrion said.
“Now he has to concentrate on the pommel horse, in the high bar, and the rings because he wants to compete for the apparatus overall.”
“He wants to win the gold medals for the six apparatus and that is a big, big thing. It’s in his heart to do it before he quits.”