Yulo, weightlifters shine bright in April

Gymnastics star Carlos Yulo and aces from various fronts who cracked the Paris Olympics got Philippine sports off to a hot start in the second quarter of 2024.

Yulo, himself booked for a second Olympiad stint, copped the gold medal in parallel bars (15.200 points) and silver in vault (15.066) in the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup Series in Qatar in a brilliant performance recognized by the Philippine Sportswriters Association as the top achievement for April.

Filipino-American Levi Jung Ruivivar complemented Yulo’s haul with a silver in the uneven bars (13.633) — a feat that earned her precious Olympic Qualifying Points and ultimately, a ticket to the 26 July to 11 August Games.

Joining them in the monthly honor roll were weightlifters Elreen Ando, Vanessa Sarno and John Ceniza, fencer Samantha Catantan and rower Joanie Delgaco, the latest additions to the country’s Olympic contingent.

Ando delivered a tour de force showing in the IWF World Cup in Phuket, where she won her faceoff with Tokyo champion Hidilyn Diaz for the lone Philippine slot in the women’s -59-kilogram class. Ando’s 228-kg total lift eclipsed the 224 kgs of Diaz, denying the latter the opportunity for a follow up to her historic triumph in the old -55-kg category.

Sarno set a new national mark of 110 kgs in snatch en route to a ticket to Paris in women’s 71-kg play as Ceniza secured his debut in the men’s 61-kg event.

Catantan won the women’s foil final of the Asia Oceania Zone Olympic Qualifiers in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates en route to becoming the Philippine’s first female fencer to qualify for the Olympics.

Delgaco rowed to history as well as the first Pinay to punch an Olympiad ticket with her fourth place in the women’s single sculls final of the World Rowing Asia and Oceania Olympic Qualifiers in Chungju, South Korea.

More Philippine bets brought home medals from international meets.