MANILA, Philippines – Carlos Yulo has reinforced his status as the best male gymnast in Southeast Asia.

Yulo defended his SEA Games all-around gold in the men’s artistic gymnastics after an impressive showing in the six apparatuses at the Quan Ngua Sports Palace in Hanoi, Vietnam on Friday, May 13.

The pint-sized gymnast chalked up 85.150 points to edge home bet Le Thanh Tung of Vietnam, who settled for silver with a score of 84.050.

Vietnam also snagged the bronze, with Dinh Phuong Thanh amassing 82.450 points to land at third.

Yulo fell short of a double gold in the all-around as the Philippines finished second in the team event to the hosts, who bagged the gold with a combined 331.250 points.

The team of Yulo, Jan Gwynn Timbang, Juancho Miguel Besana Eserio, John Ivan Cruz, Justine Ace de Leon, and John Matthew Vergara tallied a total of 301.600 points.

Singapore pocketed bronze in the team event with 297.650 points.

“All I’m thinking is how to perform well and I think we did well,” said Yulo, the Philippines’ most bemedalled athlete in the 2019 SEA Games.

Yulo also advanced to the finals of all the apparatuses as Gymnastics Association of the Philippines president Cynthia Carrion-Norton predicted him to deliver at least four gold medals.

He will try to retain his gold in floor exercise and eclipse his silver finishes in vault, pommel horse, rings, parallel bars, and horizontal bar.

“We are expecting more, so much more,” said Carrion-Norton as Yulo returns to action on May 15.

– Rappler.com