Yulo twists, turns for seven gold medals

MANILA, Philippines —  Karl Eldrew Yulo of Manila zoomed to the top as the most bemedaled athlete so far with seven golds as defending champion Baguio City claimed the medal race lead halfway through the 2023 Batang Pinoy national finals at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila.

Baguio City, the three-time reigning champions, stabilized their bid for another national crown by leaning on the four-gold medal haul of its taekwondo jins in the kyorugi event for a running total of 13 gold medals, seven silver and 22 bronze medals.

The athletes from the country’s summer capital started cool inside the Top 5 in the first two days before waxing hot in Day 3 as Joshua Aaron Erece (junior male fin), Chezka Nicolette Luzadas (cadet female 4th category), Rolyn Matthew Salay (cadet male 1st category) and Zash Khaine Mendoza (cadet 4th category) led the gold rush.

Aileen Amancio contributed by ruling the girls’ 13-15 age-group in arnis after the initial harvest of Aiden Eclipse (male 14-15), Edel Ali Pangayan Ngina  (male 16-17), Lara Czarina Langaoen (female 8-9), Lyre Anie Ngina (female 12-13) and Pathiel Eave Paus dela Rosa (female 14-15) in muay thai wai kru.

Baguio wasn’t just about martial arts as it also made its mark in archery with Chass Mhaiven Nawew Colas winning the male 15-under 30-meter and 40-meter recurve for a quick dual-gold feat.

But the moment belonged to Yulo, who made the biggest leap – and the most perfect landing – with seven captivating golds in the men’s artistic gymnastics, just months after owning the Palarong Pambansa anew with a six-gold harvest.

Yulo, the brother of world champion Caloy, was head and shoulders above the competition in the boys’ FIG Juniors 14-17 category by reigning supreme in all the individual events of vault, still rings, floor exercise, high bar, parallel bar, pommel horse and the individual all-around.