HANOI — World champion gymnast Carlos Yulo will be looking for a more dominant showing next time in horizontal bars after almost losing his fifth gold medal in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Quan Ngua Sports Palace here on Monday.
Despite being arguably the favorite to win gold in all events in the biennial meet, Yulo found himself tied with Vietnamese gymnast Dinh Phuong Thanh in the last apparatus final of the day.
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Thanh, who performed last among eight competitors, was able to match Yulo's score of 13.867, which resulted in both gymnasts taking home the gold medal.
After the competition, Yulo said he was surprised that he was still able to bring home the gold.
"Akala ko po talaga magsi-silver ako kasi maganda po yung pinakita nung Vietnam... Kahit yung sa landing niya lang po, ayos lang po yun basta maganda yung overall niya po kasi," Yulo explained.
"Akala ko magsesecond lang po ako," he added.
The horizontal bar was Yulo's last even after competing in all men's artistic gymnastics events in the biennial meet.
Knowing his capability, the 22-year-old promised to learn from his experience in Vietnam to aid him in the future.
"[M]edyo parang nalungkot lang rin po ako," he said of how he felt after Thanh's performance.
"And naisip ko na kailangan kong galingan pa para may gap po talaga yung score," he added.
Yulo bagged five the possible eight gold medals in his competitions. He ruled floor exercise, vault, still rings, horizontal bar, and the men's individual all-around.
In the men's team event and in parallel bars, he settled for silver.
It was only in pommel horse, where Yulo suffered a misstep, that he did not bring him any medal.