MANILA, Philippines – As if booking a seat last week for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics was not enough, youthful national gymnast Carlos Yulo went on to become the Philippines very first gold medalist in the world of artistic gymnastics competitions in Germany as he lorded it over in the floor exercise late Saturday, 12 October 2019.

Youngest among the crop, the 19-year-old Yulo took the gold podium by the skin of his teeth, the flimsiest of margins, 0.1 point off Israel’s silver medalist Artem Dolgopyat of Israel.

But a win is a win is a win.

“I think it was the closest of wins but am very thankful I did (win the gold) it,” said Yulo after completing a double-whammy of sort.

China’s Xiao Ruoteng ended up third, a bronze of the world gymnastics competitions held at Hanns Martin Schleyer Halle in Stuttgart, Germany.

Throughout the competitions, Yulo had it all so good as he consistently posted controlled landings en route to a whooping aggregate score of 15.300 points.

The idea of raising the difficulty level of 6.2 to 6.5 paid good dividends for the Tokyo-based Yulo as he outshone Dolgopyat, who actually came  a into the final seeded tops.

The win somewhat washed away Yulo’s near-miss bronze medal last year on the same competition as he staked himself as the very first Filipino ever occupy gold podium spot in the event.

Yulo is only the second Filipino athlete qualified to compete in the July 2020 Tokyo Olympics after pole-vaulter EJ Obiena.

He earned the Olympic spot early on Friday after finishing 10th in the competition that likewise earned him a final round stint in Germany.

Yulo’s gold medal win effectively earned him the reputation as a favorite in the 30^th SEAG. (Ismael Amigo/CNS)