World champion Carlos Yulo won’t be coming home anytime soon. The Tokyo Olympics may have been postponed for next year, but the 20-year-old Yulo will continue to train in Japan.
Yulo’s mother, Angelica Yulo said this following her almost daily talks with her son, who is in Tokyo.
She eased worries about the situation involving her son. This after Japan was placed into a state of emergency last Tuesday as the country struggles to stay in control amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
Under this situation, residents are requested to avoid nonessential trips within and outside the designated areas. But there are no restrictions on travel.
“Walang lockdown sa Japan. Nagte-training siya sa bahay. Pero, pag lumalabas siya, hatid-sundo na siya ng coach niya,” said Yulo’s mother who lives in Leveriza, Manila with the rest of their family.
A decision on where Yulo will go after the enhanced community quarantine ends in Metro Manila this April 30 in Manila has not been discussed.
That’s because Yulo is in the middle of his studies in Japan.
With the Olympics postponed, Yulo’s routines have slowed down, and it is expected to pick again soon.
“He is well and training hard, but so sad the Olympic (was) postponed as he reached his peak to win the gold in the floor routine. He trains at home for his strength and in the gym for his skill,” said Gymnastics Association of the Philippines president Cynthia Carrion.
Last month, Yulo returned to Japan with an injury sustained during the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique Apparatus World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan.
While in Baku, Yulo missed his pet floor exercise event, a routine where he earned an Olympic qualifications slot in the World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany last year.
Yulo chose to compete in the parallel bars and vault, and this is where he sustained a cut in his right palm.
Pole-vaulter EJ Obiena and boxers Eumir Felix Marcial and Irish Magno have also landed spots in the Tokyo Olympics.
National teammates Jag Timbang and Ace de Leon both returned home to the Philippines after the competition.
Timbang competed in the floor exercise and vault while De Leon vied in the floors.
Yulo scored a total of 14.166 and had a low of 11.066 while Timbang tallied 12.650 and de Leon made 12.133.
Early this month, Yulo and top skateboarder Margielyn Didal made it to the 2020 Forbes Asia ‘30 under 30’ list for sports and entertainment.
Other Filipinos in the list in other fields are PayMongo founder Francis Plaza, The Cacao Project founder Louise Mabulo and Alexandrite Pictures multimedia artist Breech Asher Harani.