MANILA, Philippines – Carlos Yulo might have hit a snag, but he still got the job done.

Yulo qualified for the Paris Olympics as the highest-ranked eligible athlete in an apparatus in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, Belgium, on Sunday, October 1.

The Philippine Olympic Committee also confirmed the feat on Sunday night as Yulo became the second Filipino to secure a Paris berth, joining pole vaulter EJ Obiena.

Finishing third in the floor exercise qualification with 14.6 points, the Filipino star advanced to the eight-man final on Saturday, October 7.

Yulo can afford any finish in the floor exercise final as all the other finalists either qualified for Paris through the team and individual all-around, or are ineligible, as per the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) rules.

According to the FIG, “the highest-ranked eligible athlete on each apparatus, based first on the apparatus finals results, and then, if needed, on the apparatus qualifications results, will obtain one quota place by name.”

Gymnasts from countries with qualified teams are ineligible. 

Floor exercise top qualifier Artem Dolgopyat of Israel and seventh-placer Karimi Milad of Kazakhstan qualified for the Olympics through the individual all-around.

No. 2 Frederick Richard (USA), No. 5 Felix Dolci (Canada), and No. 6 Daiki Hashimoto (Japan), meanwhile, earned their Paris spots along with their teams.

Japan’s Minami Kazuki and Great Britain’s Harry Hepworth – who placed fourth and eighth, respectively, in the floor exercise qualification – are ineligible since they are from countries with qualified teams.

Even the three final reserves – Spain’s Rayderley Zapata, Italy’s Nicola Bartolini, and Great Britain’s Jake Jarman – have qualified teams in Paris.

Yulo also qualified through the parallel bars based on the same FIG rules.

He finished 11th in the parallel bars qualification with 14.666 points, but the gymnasts ahead of him are already qualified or are ineligible.

Yulo looks to end his campaign on a high note after failing to reach the men’s all-around final as he guns for his second floor exercise world title.

He ruled the floor exercise in 2019 then went on to win another world title in vault in 2021.

A consistent medalist in the world championships, he also captured two bronzes and two silvers since 2018, the year he turned into a senior gymnast. – Rappler.com