Foreign coaches want piece of Yulo

MANILA, Philippines – Soon, Paris Olympics hero Carlos Yulo and the national gymnastics team will have a new foreign coach.

Gymnastics Association of the Philippines president Cynthia Carrion said she already has a few people in mind to help Yulo as well as other aspirants from the country qualify and possibly strike gold again in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

“I have to see who the best coach is, and there are so many who now want to coach Carlos after the Paris Olympics,” said Carrion.

“Wala nang Olympics so they’re now free to choose which country they want to go to.”

“I have a Bulgarian coach who is very, very good. I have an Australian, I have a Japanese,” she added.

Carrion did not name the Bulgarian and the Australian, but the Japanese mentor she refers to is Tomoharu Sano, who flew to the country last February but got injured and was forced to return home.

Sano was supposed to fill in for another Japanese, Munehiro Kugimiya, after the latter had a falling out last year with Yulo, whom he has been handling since 2016.

Filipino Aldrin Castaneda went on to handle Yulo.

Carrion said Yulo will also have a say in the coaching selection.

“Carlos will have to choose also, not just me. They have to have rapport. In fact, I brought a Japanese coach (Sano), they have a report but he got injured unfortunately,” said Carrion.