Yulo hopes to inspire teammates

By Peter Atencio

FILIPINO gymnastics’ phenom Carlos Yulo hopes to inspire his teammates Juancho Miguel Besana and John Ivan Cruz whenever they train with him.

The 23-year-old Yulo said he should not be alone in the country’s quest for excellence in international competitions in gymnastics.

Yulo believes that the time is coming for Besana, Cruz, Justine Ace de Leon and Jan Timbang to finally step up and shine as well.

“Nandito lang po ako. Kapag nagpapa-praktis po, ini-inspire ko sila sa mga ginagawa ko,” said Yulo, who has been holding practices with the men’s team in Intramuros before leaving for Japan.

Yulo is set to return to Tokyo at the end of the month and resume his training with Japanese coach Munehiro Kugimiya.

He is set to compete from Sept. 30 to Oct. 8 in Antwerp, Belgium, and seek qualification for the Paris Olympics.

In preparing for the Olympics, Yulo said he has refined his techniques in the parallel and high bars as well.

And this makes him more ready to qualify in more events in the Olympics and move higher in the world rankings as well.

“Mahirap sabihin na maka-No. 1, maybe top 5 sa worlds. Dapat dumaan sa proseso,” added Yulo.

During the Asian Championships in Singapore, Yulo claimed three golds, a silver and bronze.

On the other hand, Besana managed to place eighth in the vault, along with Cruz in the floor exercises.

In the recent Southeast Asian Games, Besana grabbed a gold in the vault, while Cruz topped the floor exercises.

Yin answered by landing her approach 10 feet from the hole and rolled in the tension-packed birdie putt for the victory in the year’s second women’s major tournament.

“After the tee shot I saw Yuka make an incredible birdie here, I knew I had to make birdie at this hole to win the championship and I’m glad I did it,” Yin said.

An early afternoon storm halted play for almost two hours, but after play resumed Yin birdied the 13th and 14th to grab a share of the lead, parred the next three holes as rivals faltered, and won at the last after hitting every green in regulation in the final two rounds.

“For last couple days, my ball striking was perfect,” Yin said. “I only missed six greens in four days so I think my ball striking was pretty good.

“My goal for today, just no three-putts. And I did it too. I didn’t think too much. Just no three-putts Because last few days I made five bogeys and four of them were three-putts.”

A third-place pack on 278 included Spain’s Carlota Ciganda, Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist, China’s Lin Xiyu, American Megan Khang and Northern Ireland’s Stephanie Meadow.

Japan’s Ayaka Furue, South Korean Jenny Shin and

American Rose Zhang shared eighth on 279.

Yin had joined Feng as the only Chinese women to win an LPGA title when she captured the LA Open in April.

Among those unable to match Yin down the stretch was Lin, who shared the lead when the storm struck.

“It’s pretty amazing,” Lin said of Yin’s victory. “She’s young and she’s so talented. She’s definitely really good at dealing with pressure. It’s great to see that.”

Yin rents a house in Orlando from Lin and said she hadn’t thought about how her rent might now get higher.

“Actually, I’m thinking about buying her house right now,” Yin said.

‘I’ve got goosebumps’

Shin and Lin were deadlocked atop the leaderboard when play resumed after the storm but seven others were within two strokes.

Lin held the lead alone after Shin made a bogey at the eighth and kept it until Yin birdied the 13th and 14th and Saso made her fourth birdie in six holes at 15 to share the lead on 7-under, although Saso stumbled with a bogey at 16.

Lin found water off the tee at the par-5 18th and closed with a bogey to leave Yin alone in the lead. AFP

“Olivia had her start with the Filipinas’ scene when she came on as a substitute in the final moments of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers against Hong Kong in 2021. Since then she has made 29 appearances and is credited with 10 clean sheets for the Philippines,” said the post on the official page Philippine Women’s National Football Team.

“Between international duties, the 25-year-old goalkeeper stays focused with American club So Cal Union FC.”

In an interview with Isabel Cootes of Optus Sport, McDaniel shared how she felt in that winning moment.

“It came to the PK where I had to save it, I saved it and I was just like, ‘Let’s go. We’re in this, we’re not out yet. I think that was basically what was going through my head the whole time like we’re not losing here,” Davies-McDaniel was quoted by Optus Sport. Randy Caluag

Olivia Davies McDaniel PFF