Eldrew Yulo narrowly missed the podium in the vault final of the 3rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics Junior World Championships, finishing fourth with an average score of 13.716 points on the competition’s final day, Monday, at the Marriott Hotel in Pasay City.
Entering the event as the Asian Championships silver medalist, the 17-year-old gymnast confidently secured fifth place in the qualifying round.
However, a bad landing during the all-around final on the same apparatus forced him to downgrade some skills heading into the medal round.
Performing sixth, Yulo initially planned a Lopez vault but ultimately executed a Kasamatsu with a 2.5 twist. He displayed excellent form in the air and, despite a small hop on landing, scored 13.933.
The Manila resident then completed a Yurchenko 2.5 twist with decent height, earning 13.500. His average of 13.716 temporarily placed him in third, until Arsenii Dukhno delivered a comeback routine.
Dukhno bounced back from earlier mistakes on the floor to claim gold with an impressive average of 14.333 points, overtaking British gymnasts Sol Scott and Evan McPhilipps.
Scott secured silver with 14.066, while McPhilipps nudged Yulo off the podium with 13.950.
Yulo will look to close his junior career on a high note as he competes on the horizontal bar later in the day.
