The Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) believes Karl Eldrew Yulo could have won another medal if it weren’t for his foot injury in the Osijek leg of the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup Series in Croatia last Sunday.
GAP president Cynthia Carrion said the 18-year-old Yulo could have even beaten Artem Dolgopyat of Israel for the gold medal if he was fully healthy.
The younger brother of double Olympics champion finished the floor exercise final in seventh place after scoring 13.600 points.
Meanwhile Dolgopyat, a Tokyo Summer Games gold medalist, won the final with a score of 14.500 points.
“If he did not have a foot injury he could easily beat Artem Dolgopyat,” Carrion told DAILY TRIBUNE in an online conversation.
Yulo still has a chance to end his World Cup campaign with another top finish as he is competing in the men’s horizontal bar as of press time.
Carrion said the two-time FIG Artistic Gymnastics Junior World Championships bronze medalist will push through despite the injury.
“Yes’ cause it’s only one landing unlike the floor exercise. There he had to do several landings and his foot is killing him,” Carrion said.
Yulo has already won three medals in the World Cup despite starting his senior career last February.
He won a gold medal in the Antalya leg in Turkey in the floor exercise last March.
Yulo then clinched two bronze medals in the floor and horizontal bar in the Cairo leg in Egypt two weeks ago.
After the World Cup series, Yulo will have some time to rest before the 13th Men’s Artistic Gymnastics Senior Asian Championships in Zunyi, China from 18 to 21 June.