Carlos Yulo named Philippines' top gymnast

MANILA, Philippines — Carlos Edriel "Caloy" Yulo has been recognized as the country's top gymnast anew following a banner year capped by a haul of medals in regional, asian and world levels.

The 22-year-old wunderkind was named GAP-KG MVP Award for 2022 to spearhead a bevy of fellow national gymnast standouts hailed by KG Management in partnership with Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) in an Awarding Ceremony at the Heritage Manil Hotel in Pasay City.

PLDT Inc. (PLDT) and Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) chairman Manny V. Pangilinan (MVP) was also recognized with Sports Godfather award due to his unwavering support to Philippine gymnastics and sports in general highlighted by the establishment of the MVP Sports Foundation Gymnastics Center in Intramuros, Manila this year.

Yulo became the undisputed choice for the top award after reigning supreme in 9th Artistic Gymnastics Senior Asian Championships in Doha, Qatar with three gold medals and one silver mint.

Yulo was also the country's most bemedalled athlete in the 2022 Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam with a five-gold, two-silver medal harvest before capping a magnificent year with a silver and a bronze in the 41st FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Liverpool, England.

"Ngayong taon ay tunay na kuminang ang Philippine gymnastics. Hindi po ako ako makakarating dito sa kinatatayuan ko kung hindi dahil sa mga taong patuloy na sumusuporta sa akin. Magpu-pursige pa po ako pangakong 'di masasayang ang tiwala at suporta niyo. Let's keep making our country proud," said Yulo, who was joined by his family in the momentous occasion.

"Local gymnastics has been blessed by so many achievements of our national gymnasts that we decided that it would only be appropriate to honor them with awards and dinner by GAP and the KG Management," added GAP president Cynthia Carrion as Yulo revs up for the tough qualifiers for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Aside from Yulo, Filipino-American ace Aleah Finnegan was also given distinction after winning two gold medals in the SEA Games and anchoring the Philippine women's artistic gymnastics team to two silver mints.

Other awardees included Munehiro Kugimiya, the Japanese mentor of Yulo and the national men' artistic gymnastics team, as well as Miguel Besana (MAG), Carl Joshua Tangonan (men's aerobics), Charmaine Dolar (women's aerobics) and Breana Labadan (rhythmic gymnastics).

Milo Philippines and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) under the watch of chairman Noli Eala was also distinguished in the ceremony owing to their programs for national athletes.