If the stars align, Carlos Yulo may end up as the Philippines’ first medalist in the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
Carlos Yulo is arriving into his first medal opportunity in Paris 2024 as a heavy underdog.
But no one is discounting an upset.
Yulo plunges back to action in the first of three medal opportunities in Paris 2024 as the 24-year-old competes in men’s artistic gymnastics individual all-around final later tonight, Wednesday, July 31 at 11:30 (PH time).
Yulo qualified in the medal round after putting up a total of 83.631 points, good for ninth in the qualification.
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He will bank on his pet events– the floor exercise and the vault– after finishing second in the former with 14.766 points and sixth in the latter with 14.683 points. Yulo will compete in the finals of both apparatuses on August 3 and 4, respectively.
[ALSO READ: Golden run beckons for Carlos Yulo after reaching three artistic gymnastics finals in Paris 2024]
The two-time world champion also had better showing in the other apparatuses too, posting 14.333 in parallel bars, 13.466 in horizontal bar, 13.066 in pommel horse, and 13.000 in the rings.
However, a stacked group awaits Yulo in his quest for Olympic gold.
Among the top contenders for a medal in the all-around are reigning champion Daiki Hashimoto of Japan, Ruoteng Xiao of China, and Zhang Boheng of China.
Former world champion Zhang Boheng of China topped the all-around qualification with 88.597 points as Japan’s Shinnosuke Oka (86.865) placed second, and Hashimoto (85.064) securing the third spot.
Xiao (84.898) ended up in fourth while Great Britain’s Jake Jarman (84.897) and Joe Fraser (84.666) landed fifth and sixth, respectively.
Ukraine’s Oleg Verniaiev netted 84.631 points for seventh as Italy’s Yumin Abbadini edged Yulo for eighth with 83.933 points.
Other notable names in the 24-man all-around final include World Artistic Gymnastics Championships medalists Illia Kovtun of Ukraine and Milad Karimi of Kazakhstan.