Karl Eldrew Yulo shoots for another gold medal when the Cairo leg of the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup Series starts on Friday.
The 18-year-old prodigy will once again pit himself against the best gymnasts in the world to gauge his skill set together with fellow national team members like Justine Ace de Leon, John Ivan Cruz and Juancho Miguel Besana in this prestigious tournament.
It will be the first stop for the two-time FIG Artistic Gymnastics Junior World Championships bronze medalist as he will also join the Osijek leg in Croatia from 9 to 12 April.
Yulo, the younger brother of double Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo, said he wants to soak in and execute his routine while adapting to the pressure of competing at the senior level.
“We need to be clean and execute our routines well. No injuries and just be safe,” Yulo said.
“Enjoyment is more important… Don’t be pressured. You need to enjoy all your competitions. That’s more important than medals. And learn from it.”
Gymnastics Association of the Philippines president Cynthia Carrion told DAILY TRIBUNE that Yulo needs to gain as much exposure as he can as it is his first year in the senior level.
“Eldrew needs all the exposure he can get. Carlos has already experienced competing in the World Cup,” Carrion, who is responsible for the resurgence of Philippine gymnastics, said.
Major competitions await Yulo after the World Cup Series.
In fact, he will join the 13th Men’s Artistic Gymnastics Senior Asian Championships in Zunyi, China from 18 to 21 June and the 19th Asian Games in Japan from 19 September to 4 October.
His biggest test in the senior level would be the 54th FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands from 10 to 17 October.
Aside from facing his older brother, Yulo will also clash with the likes of Olympic gold medalist Artem Dolgopyat of Israel and world champion Artur Davtyan of Armenia in a tourney that will truly put his skills, composure and resolve to an ultimate test.