MANILA — Carlos Yulo, who made history by winning the country’s first-ever gold medal in the World Artistic gymnastics championships in Stuttgart, Germany, is “Athlete of the Month” for October by the Tabloids Organization in Philippine Sports (TOPS).
Already assured of a coveted ticket to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Yulo did the country proud by ruling the men’s floor exercise final with a score of 15.300 in the 2019 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships on Oct. 12 in Stuttgart, Germany.
The 19-year-old gymnast from Leveriza bested Artem Dolgopyat of Israel (15.200) and Ruoteng Xiao (14.933) of China to become the first Southeast Asian male gymnast to win a gold in the World Championships.
Last year, Yulo also made history as the first Filipino to win a bronze in the world artistic gymnastics championships in Doha, Qatar.
Yulo was also selected to be one of the flag bearers in the 30th Southeast Asian Games where he hopes to win it all in the gymnastics tournament scheduled Dec. 1-9 at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
“Like many other great Filipino athletes before him, Caloy Yulo made all of us proud to be Filipinos,” said TOPS president Ed Andaya of People’s Tonight.
“His success serves as an inspiration to the Filipino youth and the whole country expects bigger and better days when he competes in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics,” Andaya added.
Two other outstanding Filipino achievers — boxer Nesthy Petecio and wushu bet Sydney Sy Tancontian — were also considered for the monthly accolade by TOPS.
Petecio bagged the gold in the featherweight division in the 2019 Aiba Women’s World Boxing Championships in Ulan-Ude, Russia last Oct. 14, while Tancontian captured the gold in the 2019 Asian Sambo Championship.
Another Tokyo Olympics bet, Ernest John Obiena, earned the monthly award three times already — April, July and September.
Past TOPS monthly awardees are Manny Pacquiao (January), Jasmin Mikaela Mojdeh (February), Natalie Uy (March), Obiena (April), June Mar Fajardo (May), the Philippine Canoe Kayak and Dragon Boat Federation team (June), Obiena (July), Antonella Berthe Racasa (August) and Obiena (September).
TOPS is also the presentor of the “Usapang Sports”, a weekly forum held at the National Press Club and sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission, National Press Club, Pagcor, Community Basketball Association and HG Guyabano Tea Leaf Drink with livestreaming from Glitter Livestream. (PR)
