Eldrew Yulo is a self-aware young man.
After the lessons of 2026, the 18-year-old gymnast admitted in an interview with ABS-CBN on Thursday that he is well behind the world’s best in terms of skills and experience. Even so, he vowed to keep going in an ambitious bid to bridge that gap.
“I realized na super behind na ako when it comes to skills… And lack of experience pa ako when it comes to competition or competing for seniors,” Yulo told ABS-CBN. “I really need to… keep going and I really need to keep building more confidence sa training. Kailangan ko pang i-practice sobrang dami po.”
These were the young man’s realizations after competing in the 2026 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, an event that gathered not only the best in Asia, but also the finest gymnasts the rest of the world has to offer. The quality of competition showed, as Eldrew Yulo missed out big on every event.
Eldrew Yulo Looks to Move Forward, Enjoy the Competition
Eldrew Yulo’s less-than-stellar showing in Rotterdam may have had something to do with the overbearing weight of competition getting in his head. It turns out that might have weighed down the 18-year-old sensation a little too much.
“Sobrang nabigatan po ako sa competitions. Super stressing niya for me kasi masyadong in-stress yung sarili ko. Masyadong nag-aim. And masyadong… It’s not my usual competition mode,” he admitted. “Kasi when you see the Asian Games, it was really light and it’s fun. Mali ako doon na hindi ako ganun na mag-compete. Masyado akong nag-focus, masyado akong natatakot magkamali. And like they said, the more you fear, the more it happens to you talaga…”
Fear and expectations may have gotten the better of Eldrew Yulo in the year’s final competition, but he isn’t shying away from the challenge. In fact, the lessons of this season—his first at the senior level—appear to be pointing him in the right direction.
“Na-realize ko din doon na kailangan kong i-enjoy ‘yung competitions… It’s all on me… natutunan ko na nakalimutan kong i-enjoy ‘yung competition,” he added. “Lesson learned siya for me and I really know what I need to do next time.”
At only 18 years old, there will be plenty of next times for Eldrew Yulo, who gave the Philippines a bronze medal in Men’s Horizontal Bar at the Asian Games. Best believe he’ll come in better prepared, both in terms of skills and mental makeup.
