There are plans to have national coach Reyland Capellan and two gymnasts undergo a training camp in Japan and join Tokyo Olympics veteran Carlos Yulo in his ongoing preparations for several international meets.
Gymnastics Association of the Philippines president Cynthia Carrion said this as they get ready to have Capellan train as a coach under the guidance of famed Japanese mentor Munehiro Kugimiya, Yulo’s longtime mentor.
“Coach Mune has been asking me about this for a long time. I think Reyland is the best choice,” said Carrion during Thursday’s weekly “Peoples’ Conversation” hosted by the Philippine Sports Commission on Facebook Live.
If plans push through, the 29-year-old Capellan, a two-time Southeast Asian Games gold medallist in the floor exercises, will be joined by Yulo’s younger brother Eldrew and a senior member of the national men’s team, Justine Ace de Leon.
The GAP discussed its plans after holding a three-day Legends Performance Camp at the GAP Training Center in Intramuros recently.
The camp focused on the current training for the national women’s team.
Five world-class Olympic coaches showed to share lessons and experiences to over 100 female gymnasts and coaches during the sessions.
One of the five coaches included Cliff Parks, head coach at Leading Edge Gymnastic Academy in Georgia.
They also had University of Utah coach and floor exercise expert Mary Wright, balanced beam specialist Terrin Humphrey, former Bulgarian national gymnast George Kostadinov and former US floor exercise champion Kerry Huston as speakers.
“Men’s artistics gymnastics has a lot of potential. I hope to have more medallists with women’s artistics gymnastics, rhythmic and aero. So, we’re working on it, and giving more attention to them,” said Carrion.
The GAP also hooked up with a group called Flip It Forward to have the five coaches fly in from the US.
Philippine Sports Commission chairman Noli Eala also paid the camp a visit.