KRISTEL SATUMBAGA

World champion gymnast Carlos Yulo will skip the 19^th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China due to a conflict of schedule with one of the qualifiers for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) President Cynthia Carrion said Yulo will focus on competing in the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Antwerp, Belgium which is slated on Sept. 30 to Oct. 10, an event that offers slots to the Paris Games.

Unfortunately, the Asian Games schedule – scheduled Sept. 23 to Oct. 8 – runs in conflict with the world championships.

Aside from the Olympic ticket, Yulo also eyes to eclipse his silver medal finish in vault and bronze showing in parallel bars at the world championships.

Yulo guns for a second Olympic stint after competing in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

He almost made it to the podium after finishing fourth in vault and vowed to come back stronger to clinch that gold medal.

Aside from the world championships, Yulo will also compete in the four tournaments of the 2024 World Cup Series – all of them also offering Olympic berths.

He can also earn a slot through the 2024 Asian Championships where he is the 2022 champion in vault, parallel bars and floor exercise.

While he will miss the Asian Games, Carrion said Yulo will still represent the country in the 32^nd Southeast Asian Games in May in Cambodia.