Karl Eldrew Yulo tops floor exercise in FIG Artistic Gymnastic World Cup Series in Antalya, Turkey

EVERYBODY, including Karl Eldrew Yulo, wants to rule the world.

The 18-year-old younger brother of Carlos did just that on Saturday night after capturing the floor exercise gold medal in the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup Series in Antalya, Turkey.

Mr. Yulo delivered the performance of his life to date and elicited a score of 14.100 in besting the field that included Ireland’s Eamon Montgomery and Spain’s Rayderley Zapata, who ended up with the silver and bronze on 13.833 and 13.333, respectively.

It was Mr. Yulo’s first mint in the senior stage after capping his junior years with a double bronze in last year’s World Juniors Championship back home in Taguig.

And slowly, he has taken the first few steps towards the same path Carlos, a decorated gymnast who owns medals in almost all events including the Olympics and the Worlds, took before ascending to where he is now.

Mr. Yulo made his seniors’ debut by qualifying the finals of two apparatuses — horizontal bar and floor exercise — in the opening leg in Baku, Azerbaijan a week ago but fell short in bringing home his breakthrough medal.

But on this one in this breathtaking Turkish resort city, Mr. Yulo made sure he wouldn’t return empty-handed. — Joey Villar